■ 


k 


VOL.    I 


Uniform  with  the  present  volume  : 

"  Memoirs  of  the   Empress  Josephine."     2  vols. 
"Secret  Memoirs  of  the  Court  of  Louis  XIV." 

1  vol. 

"  Secret     Memoirs    of    the    Royal    Family    of 

France."     2  vols. 
"  The   Private   Memoirs   of   Louis  XV."     1   vol. 
"  The  Secret  History  of  the  Court  of  Berlin." 

2  vols. 

"  The  Secret  History  of  the  Court  and  Cabinet 
of  St.  Cloud."     2  vols. 

"  Memoirs  of  Mme.  la  Marquise  de  Montespan." 
2  vols. 

"Secret  Memoirs  of  the  Court  of  St.  Peters- 
burg."    1  vol. 

"  Memoirs  of  Margaret  de  Valois."     i   vol. 

"  The  Courts  of  Europe  at  the  Close  of  the 
Last  Century."     2  vols. 


ORIGINAL     MEMOIRS 

OF    THE 

SOVEREIGNS    OF    SWEDEN    AND 
DENMARK 


Edition  strictly  limited  to  500  copies. 
Five  extra  copies  have  been  printed  on  Japanese  vellum,  but 
are  not  offered  for  sale. 


ORIGINAL    MEMOIRS 

OF  Tin: 

SOVEREIGNS  OF  SWEDEN 

AND 

DENMARK 

From  1766  to  1818 

BY 

JOHN     BROWN 

IN    TWO    VOLUMES— VOLUME   I 


^zx^r'r^AS 


LONDON 

H .    S.    NICHOLS    &    CO. 

3     SOHO     SQUARE     and     62*     PICCADILLY     W 
MDCCCXCV 


Printed   and   Published   by 

H.  S.  NICHOLS  AND  CO. 
AT  3  SOHO  SQUARE,  LONDON,  W. 


%<Z\o 
V.  I 


PUBLISHERS'    NOTE 


The  Eleventh  issue  of  the  Collection  of  Court 
Memoirs  is  the  "  Secret  History  of  the  Courts 
of  Sweden    and    Denmark." 

These  Memoirs  are  reprinted  from  an  edition 
published  in  1S1S,  and  are  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest,  the  Author  having  exercised  great  care 
to  present  his  work  in  as  complete  a  form  as 
possible.  Mr.  John  Brown  (author  of  "  The 
Mysteries  of  Neutralization,"  "  The  Naval  Advo- 
cate," and  other  Tracts  relative  to  Neutral  Flags 
and  the  Rights  of  Belligerents),  in  his  Notes  to  the 
work,  has  quoted  to  a  very  great  extent  from 
other  writers,  and  in  some  instances  has  con- 
sidered  it   necessary   to   criticise    their   statements. 

Two  of  the  Danish  Sovereigns  whose  Memoirs 
are  given  in  this  issue  came  to  England  for  their 
Consorts.     A   full   and   descriptive  account    is   given 


6259U4 


Vlll  PUBLISHERS      NOTE 

of  the  deposition  of  Matilda,  sister  to  George  III. 
of  England,  and  of  the  punishment  of  her  ac- 
complices. 

A  portrait  of  Charles  XIV.,  John  (Bernadotte), 
who  commenced  to  reign  in  1818,  is  given  in  this 
volume. 

The  next  issue  in  this  series  will  be  the 
"  Memoirs  of  Marie  Antoinette,"  by  Madame 
Campan,  with  a  Biographical  Sketch  of  the 
former    by    Lamartine. 

26th  November,   1895. 


Bf  titration 


CAPTAIN     RICHARD     GAINE     JANVERIX.     R.N. 

Sir, — Although,  without  permission,  I  borrowed 
your  features  to  draw  the  picture  of  a  Post-Captain 
as  he  should  be,  in  the  first  number  of  my  "  Naval 
Advocate,"  it  is  neither  your  professional  capacity, 
intrepidity,  hospitality,  nor  humanity,  that  have 
induced  me  to  offer  you  this  unequivocal  mark 
of  public  homage  and  grateful  attachment,  but 
that  proud  and  unbending  public  spirit  by  which 
you  are  distinguished  beyond  most  of  your  equals 
or  superiors  in  rank.  It  is  that  noble  quality 
which,  in  a  naval  officer,  is  far  more  rare  than 
eminent  science,  valour  or  generosity  that  con- 
secrates the  propriety  of  this  spontaneous  tribute. 
You  resisted  pretensions  advanced  by  a  com- 
mander-in-chief;   you    brought    the    validity    of   his 


DEDICATION 


claims  to  the  test  of  a  court  of  law — actions  that 
required  greater  fortitude  than  the  most  desperate 
attack  against  an  enemy's  ship  or  battery ;  the 
claim  was  declared  to  be  illegal,  and  you  emanci- 
pated the  Naval  Service  from  its  longer  endurance. 
That  you  may  be  as  prosperous  as  your  heart 
is  benevolent  is  the  ardent  desire  of 

THE    AUTHOR. 

London.  May  gth,  1S1S. 


PREFACE 


The  present  work  was  originally  intended  by  the 
Author  to  have  been  a  miscellany ;  and  the  sketches 
of  the  reigns  of  the  different  Sovereigns  were  to  have 
been  given  as  an  Appendix,  made  up  of  selections. 
It  was,  however,  discovered  that  one  volume  would 
not  contain  the  matter  that  was  indispensably  neces- 
sary, which  was  then  divided  into  two  volumes ;  but 
such  was  its  redundancy  that  the  lives  of  the  late 
and  present  Kings  of  Sweden,  and  the  late  and  present 
Kings  of  Denmark,  as  well  as  some  intended  comments 
on  the  political  opinions  respecting  Russia  by  Mr.  Leckie 
and  Lieut. -General  Sir  Robert  Wilson,  were  necessarily 
omitted  ;  they  must  otherwise  have  been  reduced  to 
the  limits  of  an  index. 

In  December  last  a  pause  occurred  in  the  execu- 
tion of  the  work,  during  which  the  Author  endeavoured 
to  procure,  from  various  sources,  those  authentic  and 
original  facts  which  were  essential  to  complete  his 
work,  and  calculated  to  distinguish  it  from  a  mere 
compilation. 

The  Swedes  are  eminent  for  hospitality  and  every 
social    virtue,    and    their    character    has    been     wilfully 


Xll  PREFACE 

assailed,  or  casually  misunderstood,  by  British  tourists. 
In  the  hour  of  persecution  Mr.  Brown  found  a  secure 
and  most  agreeable  asylum  there.  It  was  an  act  of 
duty  to  those  whose  friendship  he  had  enjoyed  to 
publish  the  criticisms  on  the  works  of  travellers  in 
Sweden  which  appear  in  the  second  volume,  not  with 
a  view  to  decry  the  general  merits  of  the  authors 
alluded  to,  but  to  display  their  local  errors  and  correct 
their  too  frequent  acerbity. 

The  sources  whence  he  borrowed  matter  for  his 
work  are  so  generally  given  with  the  quotations  that 
he  is  not  conscious  of  a  single  omission  of  importance. 

From  the  causes  recited,  the  life  of  Charles  XIV., 
John,  as  well  as  others,  could  not  be  given,  but  the 
plate  is  still  prefixed,  because  the  secret  of  his  eleva- 
tion is  first  developed  in  these  pages,  and  the  Author 
intends  to  translate  from  Swedish  authorities  a  third 
volume  that  shall  contain  the  extraordinary  and  event- 
ful life  of  that  monarch. 


London,  May  gth,   1S18. 


CONTENTS    TO     VOL.    I 


CHAPTER    1 

PAGE 

Reflections  on  the  Danish  Revolution  of  1660    .         .         .         .       1 

CHAPTER    11 

Frederick  V. — His  character — The  cause  of  his  intemperance — 
Character  and  anecdotes  of  Juliana  Maria — Anecdotes  of 
Christian  VII.,  when  Crown  Prince  .         .  .10 

CHAPTER     III 

The  character  and  person  of  Christian  VII. — Demoralised  by 
his  cruel  step-mother—  Portrait  of  Caroline  Matilda  at 
fifteen  years  of  age — Reflections  on,  and  instances  of,  the 
unhappiness  of  Royal  females — Secret  memoirs  of  Gus 
tavus  III.  and  his  Queen — The  Princess  Albertina — Unhapp) 
love — An  extraordinary  expedient,  its  detection — The  secret 
history  of  the  birth  of  Gustavus  IV.,  Adolphus,  now  Count 
Gottorp     ...........     22 

CHAPTER    IV 

Matilda's  reception  in  Denmark— The  machinations  of  Juliana 
Maria- Weakness  and  depravity  of  Christian  Yll  Ili> 
motive  for  setting  out  on  his  travels — His  adventures  in 
Amsterdam  and  London  ........     4  j 


XIV  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER    V 

l'AGL 

Queen  Matilda — The  Counts  Struensee  and  Rantzau — Court 
intrigues — Peter  III.,  Count  Rantzau  the  cause  of  his  death 
— Madame  Gohler — First  confidential  interview  between 
Queen  Matilda  and  Struensee — Its  result — Reflections  on 
their  comparative  criminality 66 

CHAPTER    VI 

Melancholy  state  of  the  King — A  Royal  tour  to  the  Duchies  of 
Holstein  and  Sleiswick — Count  Rantzau's  hospitality — 
History  of  Gourmand,  the  King's  favourite  dog — Anecdotes 
of  the  Court — A  Circassian  Princess — Altered  manners  of 
Queen  Matilda :  wears  leathern  small-clothes,  and  sits  her 
horse  like  a  man — Prosperity  more  difficult  to  endure  than 
adversity — Struensee  and  Brandt  admonished  by  Count 
Rantzau  —  The  last  interview  —  The  arrest  of  Matilda, 
Struensee  and  Brandt     ........     85 

CHAPTER    VII 

Critical  situation  of  Juliana  Maria,  Count  Rantzau  and  the 
other  conspirators  —  The  courage  of  Queen  Matilda- 
Cowardice  of  Struensee  —  A  singular  riot:  its  source 
developed — The  execution  of  Brandt  and  Struensee     .         .124 

CHAPTER    VIII 

Character  and  conduct  of  Count  Rantzau  —  His  disgrace — 
Benevolence  of  Matilda  —  Gratitude — Lex  talionis — Sensi- 
bility and  gratitude — A  fascinating  mistress — Visit  to  Zell — 
A  fair  penitent — Reconciliation  of  Matilda  and  Rantzau — 
Their  deaths    ..........  14S 

CHAPTER    IX 

The  Danish  Court  after  the  fall  of  Struensee — Wise  and  dignified 
conduct  of  George  III. — Memoir  of  Count  Andreas  Petrus 
Bernstorff — -A  celebrated    tourist    quoted,    and    censured — 


CONTENTS  XV 

PAGE 

Violation  of  the  Danish  flag — Source  of  that  abuse — Its 
consequence — The  armed  neutrality  of  the  Northern  Powers 
— Count  Bernstorff  retires — The  Crown  Prince  Frederick- 
seizes  the  reins  of  government — Count   Bernstorff  restored  211 


CHAPTER    X 

The  Swedish  Oligarchy      ........  247 

CHAPTER    XI 

GUSTAVUS      III. 

Sophia  IMagdalena,  consort  to  Gustavus  III. — Auspicious  com- 
mencement of  his  reign — His  secrecy  and  self-command — 
Profound  dissimulation — The  Diet  of  1771 — Further  proofs 
of  deep  hypocrisy — Outwits  the  Senate — Overthrows  the 
oligarchy  in  1772 — His  gross  impiety  on  that  occasion — 
Anecdote  of  Count  Ugglas — Gustavus  lives  apart  from  his 
Queen — The  Duchess  of  Sodermanland — A  Royal  expedient 
— Increased  splendour  of  the  Court — Gustavus  encourages 
trade  and  manufactures — Becomes  a  monopolist  of  brandy 
distilleries — General  discontent — Insurrections — Failure  of 
his  commercial  speculations    .......  274 

CHAPTER    XII 

Vast  projects  of  Peter  the  Great — Their  progressive  realisation — 
Gustavus  attempts  to  counteract  Russia — Catherine  II.  and 
Gustavus — Their  opposite  views  and  preparations — Great 
national  undertakings  begun  or  completed  by  Gustavus  at 
Carlscrona  and  Sveaborg — Visits  his  provinces — Reforms 
local  abuses,  and  punishes  several  unjust  judges — His  great 
and  varied  talents  and  acquirements — Effeminacy  of  his 
Court — Honours  paid  by  Gustavus  to  the  memory  of  Sir 
Charles  Linne — Suffers  his  invaluable  collection  to  be  sold 
— Embellishes  Stockholm — Practises  the  utmost  profusion — 
Recommends  frugality  to  his  subjects— Sumptuary  laws — 
Corrupts  the  national  manners — Lavishes  his  treasures  on 
idle  pageantry  ..........  292 


SECRET    HISTORY 

OK   THE 

COURTS  OF  SWEDEN  AND  DENMARK 


CHAPTER    I 

Reflections  on  the  Danish  Revolution  of  1660} 

Our  historians  inform  us  that  in  the  seventeenth 
century  the  tyranny,  insolence,  and  rapacity  of  the 
Nobles  had  attained  such  a  height  that,  to  deliver 
themselves  from  the  humiliating  and  oppressive  yoke, 
the  Clergy,  burghers  and  peasantry  surrendered  to  the 
Crown  all  their  rights  and  privileges ;  making  the 
Monarch  absolute,  and  themselves  and  posterity  slaves ! 
But  why  do  I  say  posterity  ?  Can  the  rights  of  the 
unborn  to  freedom  be  done  away  with  by  the  folly  or 
baseness  of  their  ancestors  ?    Certainly  not ;  and  we  have 

i  This  interesting  portion  of  the  "  Secret  History  of  the 
Courts  of  Sweden  and  Denmark  "  was  copied  and  translated  from  a 
Danish  MS.  found  on  board  the  United  States  merchantman,  the 
Clyde,  Alcorn,  master,  laden  with  French  and  Dutch  colonial 
produce,  and  bound  from  New  York  to  Amsterdam  ;  detained  oft 
the  Start  by  the  Dapper  gun-brig,  Lieutenant  Gardner,  commander, 
and  sent  into  Plymouth,  February,  1S07. 

VOL.    I  I 


2  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

now  a  greater  right  to  restore  the  freedom  of  Denmark 
than  our  weak  and  infatuated  forefathers  had  to  lay  it  at 
the  feet  of  Frederick  III.  Of  all  the  stains  on  our 
annals,  this  is  the  most  disgraceful.  It  is  also  one  of 
the  most  extraordinary  events  recorded  in  modern 
history.  There  is  no  doubt  but  some  creatures  of  the 
Crown,  playing  upon  the  exasperated  feelings  of  the 
burghers,  persuaded  them  that  the  only  effectual  mode 
of  avenging  their  wrongs  consisted  in  making  the 
Monarchy  absolute!  Yet,  it  still  seems  incomprehensible 
how  a  race  of  men  illuminated  by  the  light  of  the 
Reformation,  who  were  far  from  illiterate,  well  versed 
in  their  political  rights,  and  who  had  recently  covered 
themselves  with  glory  in  defending  the  metropolis,  could 
be  so  completely  infatuated  as  to  act  in  this  base  and 
wicked  manner.  Their  infamy  is  the  more  apparent  as 
they  were  inured  to  war,  were  flushed  by  victory,  had 
their  weapons  still  in  their  hands,  and  their  vile  oppres- 
sors were  cooped  up  within  the  walls  of  their  city !  By 
the  same  effort  of  mind,  and  at  a  less  personal  risk 
than  it  required  to  reduce  themselves  and  posterity 
to  the  condition  of  slaves,  they  might  have  humbled 
the  accursed  oligarchy  that  devoured  and  degraded 
Denmark,  have  stripped  them  of  their  territorial 
spoils,  their  feudal  rights — as  their  tyrannies  were  im- 
properly called — and  every  other  usurpation  ;  and,  with 
all  facility,  have  elevated  themselves  to  the  rank  of  free- 
men. While  borrowing  from  England  that  representa- 
tive system  which  our  ancestors,  the  Goths,  carried 
thither  in  their  first  expeditions,  they  might  have  laid 
the  deep  and  broad  foundations  of  a  free  commonwealth, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  3 

with  a  constitutional  king  at  its  head  ;  by  which  means 
Denmark  would  at  this  day  have  equalled  England  in 
wealth,  power  and  fame !  The  Crown  was  at  that 
moment  elective,  and  the  oligarchs  lorded  it  with  equal 
insolence  over  the  King  and  the  people.  If,  therefore, 
this  base  conspiracy  on  the  part  of  the  commonalty 
had  been  discovered  by  the  aristocracy  in  time  enough 
to  have  prevented  its  execution,  the  fierce,  haughty, 
vindictive  oligarchs  would  have  washed  out  the  crime 
meditated  by  the  silly  commoners  with  their  blood ! 
Not  so  if  they  had  aimed  at  establishing  a  government 
altogether  republican,  because,  under  that  system,  the 
Nobles  would  not  have  been  subjected  to  the  King, 
who  was  before  subjected  to  them  ;  and  it  was  the  sole 
object  of  the  burghers  to  reduce  the  Nobles  to  a  state 
of  slavery  and  degradation  !  The  heroism  displayed  by 
Frederick  III.  in  defending  his  capital  against  the 
Swedes  had  rendered  him  deservedly  popular,  whilst 
the  Nobles  were  detested  on  account  of  the  disaffection, 
if  not  the  cowardice,  that  many  of  them  had  displayed 
in  the  unfortunate  wars  with  Sweden.  The  King,  to 
secure  his  Crown  from  the  power  of  the  Nobles,  would, 
no  doubt,  have  readily  entered  into  the  views  of  the 
people,  and  have  ratified  their  freedom  in  return  for 
their  rendering  the  Crown  hereditary  and  independent 
of  the  oligarchy.  Instead  of  acting  thus  nobly  and 
wisely,  with  a  frantic  hand  they  tore  the  laurels  from 
their  brows  and  surrendered  unconditionally  and  with- 
out any  equivalent — for  what  is  there  equivalent  to 
such  a  sacrifice  ? — their  lives,  liberty,  property  and 
honour,  to  the  King :  investing  him  and  his  heirs  male 

1 — 2 


4  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

for  ever  with  the  uncontrolled  power  to  wage  war, 
negotiate  peace,  to  cede  provinces,  levy  taxes,  expend 
treasures,  spill  the  blood  of  his  people  by  unnecessary 
wars,  by  the  axe  of  the  executioner;  and  plunge  them 
into  solitary  dungeons,  there  to  rot  in  darkness,  with- 
out the  King  or  his  ministers  being  accountable  to 
any  human  being  !  Stupendous  folly  and  wickedness ! 
I  blush  as  I  write  at  the  degeneracy  of  my  ancestors. 
This  vile,  polluting  and  degrading  Revolution  was 
brought  about  by  a  few  of  the  leading  burghers  in 
Copenhagen,  backed  by  the  blind  confidence  and 
heated  passions  of  the  lowest  classes,  and  aided  by 
the  secret  influence,  the  gold  and  the  power  of  the 
Crown.  The  blow  was  struck ;  the  liberties  of  the 
Danes,  existent  or  to  be  born,  were  clandestinely  sur- 
rendered, and  the  Crown  elevated  on  the  ruins  of  liberty 
ere  the  great  mass  of  the  people  knew  that  the  dire  expe- 
dient was  in  agitation  !  In  a  delirium  of  joy  the  burghers 
of  Copenhagen  sung  "  Io  Paeans,"  that  the  tyranny  of 
the  Nobles  was  no  more.  Silly  wretches !  A  short  time 
taught  them  that  the  Crown,  to  prevent  the  enraged 
oligarchs  from  calling  in  the  Swedes,  made  a  compro- 
mise, and  left  that  obnoxious  class  of  privileged  men  all 
their  territorial  domains,  however  acquired ;  all  their 
feudal  claims  and  exactions.  They  could  no  longer 
dictate  to  the  King,  but  each  could  play  the  petty  tyrant 
on  his  own  estates,  and  spread  desolation  and  misery 
among  their  unhappy  dependents,  who  were  still  left 
subjected  to  their  insolence  and  power.  A  short  time 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  infatuated  burghers,  but  the  mis- 
chief was   done ;    and   a    standing   army    protected   the 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN    AND     DENMARK  5 

throne  which  the  stupid  burghers  had  made  absolute, 
and  rendered  their  regrets  and  remorse  alike  unavailing. 

Our  historians  in  vain  endeavour  to  palliate  this  act 
of  political  suicide.  Amongst  innumerable  attempts  to 
extenuate  its  infamy,  they  pretend  that  so  transcendently 
great  were  the  merits  of  Frederick  III.  that  the  nation 
had  no  other  means  of  affording  him  an  adequate  proof 
of  its  gratitude  and  devotion !  Silly  casuistry.  Con- 
temptible sophists.  What  individual  had  so  much  to  lose 
as  the  King  ?  Certainly  no  one  ;  and,  consequently,  no 
one  had  a  stimulant  equally  strong  to  propel  him  to  great 
exertions.  His  wisdom,  fortitude,  valour,  were  admitted 
and  admired  by  friend  and  foe;  by  the  Swede  and  by 
the  Dane.  He  preserved  his  throne  and  his  metropolis. 
The  glory  of  the  achievement,  and  the  love  and  praise 
of  his  people  and  of  posterity,  offered  the  only  recom- 
pense to  which  he  ought  to  have  aspired. 

The  same  historians,1  as  an  excuse  for  this  sad  monu- 
ment of  popular  frenzy  and  delinquency,  tell  us  that  the 
Nobles  were  corrupt,  tyrannical  and  oppressive ;  that,  in 
their  legislative  capacity,  they  levied  enormous  burdens 
on  the  labouring  hind  and  the  industrious  citizens,  from 
which  those  drones  not  merely  remained  exempted,  but 
contrived,  in  their  capacity  as  generals,  governors,  or 
ministers,  to  intercept  a  large  proportion  of  those  taxes 
wrung  from  the  hard  hand  of  the  toil-worn,  sinewy 
labourer  and  his  half-famished  family.  Our  time-serving 
historians  assert  that  this  foul  oligarchy  (to  get  rid  of 
which  moral  pestilence  our  liberties  were  all  destroyed), 

1  Holberg,  &c. 


O  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

with  one  hand  oppressed  and  controlled  the  Crown, 
obtruding  their  creatures  and  partisans  into  all  places  of 
high  trust  and  great  emolument;  whilst,  with  the  other 
hand  they  scourged,  debased,  plundered  and  enslaved 
the  people.  This  venal  class  of  privileged  men  met 
with  mockery  and  contempt  the  remonstrance  and  peti- 
tions of  the  commonalty,  insolently  denying  the  truth 
of  self-evident  grievances ;  and  not  merely  denying 
them  redress  and  adding  insult  to  to  their  wrongs, 
but  visiting  them  with  still  heavier  burdens,  and  lay- 
ing them  under  more  humiliating  restraints !  Hence, 
our  courtly  historians  infer  that  there  remained  no  other 
way  of  getting  rid  of  those  accursed  devourers  than 
by  making  the  Crown  of  Denmark  arbitrary  and  hered- 
itary. The  people,  from  one  extremity  of  the  Danish 
dominions  to  the  other,  should  have  destroyed  the 
power  of  those  despicable  and  cruel  oligarchs,  levelled 
their  moated  and  turreted  castles  with  the  earth,  and 
set  the  bondsman  free  ;  thus  should  they  have  got 
rid  of  that  oligarchy  which,  like  a  huge  and  loathsome 
wen  on  the  human  body,  impaired  its  strength  and 
disfigured  its  beauty.  Instead  of  which,  surely  in  a 
moment  of  general  madness,  to  gratify  an  absurd  spirit 
of  vengeance,  the  citizens  of  Copenhagen  established 
despotism  by  law !  That  their  posterity  have  not  suf- 
fered by  the  folly  and  delinquency  of  their  ancestors 
in  an  equal  degree  with  those  unhappy  nations  whose 
harder  destiny  bowed  their  necks  to  a  Bourbon  yoke, 
has  arisen  from  the  superior  quality  of  our  princes, 
who,  since  this  scandalous  Revolution,  have  ruled  Den- 
mark    and     its     dependencies.        Possessing     unlimited 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  J 

sovereignty  in  the  fullest  and  most  ample  meaning  of 
the  term,  it  redounds  to  the  glory  of  our  autocrats — 
for  such  are  our  kings,  as  well  as  the  czars  of  Russia 
— that  they  have  permitted  us  to  be  governed  by  law 
instead  of  by  ukase  ;  that  they  have  allowed  us  the 
liberty  of  discoursing  or  writing  with  freedom  on 
political  subjects,  instead  of  shedding  our  blood  on 
scaffolds,  or,  a  la  Bourbon,  throwing  us  into  lonesome 
cells  and  there  leaving  us  to  perish.  But  this  clemency, 
so  honourable  to  our  illustrious  kings,  has  the  danger- 
ous tendency  of  rendering  despotism  less  odious,  less 
frightful,  less  disgusting  than  it  appears  when  hung 
round  by  chains  and  implements  of  torture,  by  Icttrcs- 
dc- cachet  and  Bastilles,  which  decorated  the  splendid 
despotisms  of  the  Bourbons  ere  their  merited  fall  and 
eternal  banishment  from  France.  It  is  to  the  mercy 
of  our  kings,  and  not  to  the  prudence  of  our  ancestors, 
that  we  are  indebted  for  an  exemption  from  most  of 
the  evils  attendant  on  despotism.  The  example  of 
justice  and  moderation  afforded  by  our  mild  monarchs, 
each  of  whom,  had  he  been  a  Nero  in  heart,  might, 
like  Nero,  have  wallowed  in  the  blood  of  the  most 
illustrious  citizens,  goes  a  considerable  length  towards 
establishing  the  justice  of  Pope's  dubious  aphorism  : 

"  On  forms  of  government  let  fools  contest, 
Whatever' s  best  administered  is  best." 

One  of  the  greatest  calamities  that  can  befall  any 
nation  ;  one  of  the  most  certain  omens  of  its  speedy 
fall,  is  the  declining  state  of  the  labouring  classes,  on 
whose  labour  the  wealth  of  every  superior  class  is 
grounded.     That    degrading    Revolution,    which    calls   a 


0  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

blush  into  my  cheeks  as  I  treat  of  its  baseness,  re- 
duced the  political,  but  not  the  seigncuvial,  power  of 
our  Nobles,  and  was  fatal  to  our  poor  hinds  ;  for  the 
monarchs,  assuming  a  degree  of  pomp  unknown  to  their 
electoral  predecessors,  fearful  of  offending  the  wealthy 
burghers,  increased  the  burdens  of  the  agriculturists, 
and  the  weight  of  this  cumbrous  pomp  fell  principally 
on  the  labouring  peasant.  The  nobleman,  driven  from 
the  Court  and  the  Treasury,  forced  into  an  involuntary 
rustication,  sought,  by  increasing  his  exactions  in  every 
possible  way,  to  gain  in  wealth  what  he  had  lost  in 
power ;  whilst  our  poor  peasantry  fared  even  worse 
than  the  beast  of  the  field  belonging  to  his  lord  ;  for, 
having  a  property  in  the  beast,  the  lord  had  an  interest 
in  providing  it  with  provender  and  shelter  from  the 
severity  of  our  northern  winters.  Not  so  with  the  poor 
hind ;  he  was  left  to  struggle  with  famine  and  taxation. 
His  sole  inheritance  was  ignorance  and  bondage.  From 
his  birth,  in  some  squalid  hovel,  he  has  been,  till 
lately,  exposed  to  privations  of  every  kind,  to  humilia- 
tions of  the  most  debasing  description.  If  Nature  blessed 
his  wife  or  daughter  with  beauty,  the  lust  of  his  lord 
demanded  its  possession.  In  his  cheerless  hut  reigned 
want  and  wretchedness.  Filthy  in  his  habits,  base  in 
his  propensities,  he  exhihited  the  bitter  fruits  of 
aristocratical  despotism  in  its  most  appalling  form  ;  and 
his  whole  life,  from  his  cradle  to  his  grave,  was  but  one 
continual  scene  of  wretched  and  hopeless  servitude. 

The  two  greatest  errors  of  our  monarchs  have  been 
these  :  the  too  great  splendour  of  their  Courts,  and  the 
too  great  extent  of  their  standing  armies — that  dreadful 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  9 

pressure  and  incessant  drain  on  the  feeble  resources  of 
their  country.  The  splendour  of  our  Court  in  the  last 
reigns,  and  the  early  part  of  this,1  illustrated  the  truth  of 
that  bold  assertion  made  by  a  celebrated  American 
writer,  that  in  despotic  States  and  voluptuous  regal 
Courts,  the  mere  trappings  and  embellishments  of  a 
Monarchy  cost  more  money  than,  under  a  frugal  system 
of  Republican  government,  would  suffice  for  all  the 
expenses  of  the  State  !  Yet  how  few  of  our  kings  have 
really  exercised  the  sovereignty  conferred  on  them  in 
1660!  During  all  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  Frederick 
V.  he  was  a  mere  automaton  ;  governed  by  Count,  alias 
King,  Molckte,  or  by  his  ambitious  consort,  Juliana 
Maria.  As  to  the  present  King  (Christian  VII.),  it  was 
only  during  a  very  short  interval  that  he  really  reigned. 
A  Holcke,  a  Struensee,  a  Juliana  Maria,  by  turns 
possessed  and  abused  the  sovereignty.  In  short,  he 
that  wears  a  despotic  crown  is  seldom  the  person  who 
exercises  the  sovereign  power ;  and  after  all,  I  am 
decidedly  of  opinion  that  the  President  of  the  United 
States  enjoys,  under  the  sanction  of  the  law,  more  real 
political  power  than  any  despotic  prince  in  either  of  the 
four  quarters  of  the  globe. 

Copenhagen,  1804.  V.  D. 

1  Christian  VII. 


SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 


CHAPTER    II 

Frederick  V. — His  character — The  cause  of  his  intemperance 
— Character  and  anecdotes  of  Juliana  Maria — Anecdotes 
of  Christian  VII.,  when  Crown  Prince. 

Frederick  V.,  the  father  of  our  present  Monarch 
(Christian  VII.),  was  a  wise,  magnificent,  liberal  prince; 
the  patron  of  men  of  genius,  science  and  learning,  and 
the  idol  of  a  grateful  people.  Suddenly,  a  marked 
change  took  place  in  his  habits  and  his  manners  ;  he 
lost  all  relish  for  those  exalted  pursuits  to  which  he 
had  been  attached,  and  gave  himself  up  to  excessive 
and  continual  inebriety,  whereby  he  impaired  his 
faculties,  physical  and  mental,  and  shortened  his  days. 
Whilst  the  memory  of  this  solitary  vice  that  sullied 
his  character  is  generally  known,  the  secret  and  power- 
ful cause  that  led  to  this  melancholy  alteration  (except 
to  a  few,  who,  during  the  lifetime  of  his  second  Queen, 
dared  not  give  it  utterance,  and  most  of  whom  have 
since  descended  to  the  grave),  has  remained  buried  in 
oblivion.  This  accomplished  Monarch  had  two  con- 
sorts ;  the  first,  and  deservedly  the  best-beloved,  was 
the  English  princess,  Louisa,  daughter  of  George  II., 
by  whom  he  had  the  wretched  and  imbecile  Prince 
who  yet  bears  the  title  of  King  of  Denmark,  and 
Sophia  Magdalena,  married  to  Gustavus  III.,  of  Sweden, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  II 

who  fell  by  the  hand  of  Ankarstrom.  For  his  second 
wife,  our  favourite  Monarch,  in  an  evil  hour,  took  Juliana 
Maria,  daughter  of  Ferdinand  Albert,  Duke  of  Bruns- 
wick Wolfenbuttle  ;  an  unhappy  choice  that  was  the 
source  of  many  and  heavy  domestic  calamities. 

Bad  passions  will  obtrude  into  palaces  as  well  as 
cottages,  and  when  they  chance  to  obtain  full  possession 
of  a  queen  they  are  likely  to  hurry  her  to  acts  more 
atrocious  than  a  female  of  humble  rank,  because  her 
power  to  commit  wickedness  is  so  much  greater.  The 
events  of  common  life  too  often  exhibit  the  most  lament- 
able scenes,  arising  from  the  jealousy  and  hatred  of 
callous  and  unfeeling  step-mothers  who  oppress  the 
children  of  their  predecessor.  Such  was  the  character 
of  Juliana  Maria.  She  hated  the  presence  of  the  child- 
ren of  the  deceased  Queen ;  and,  if  she  had  dared, 
would  have  quickly  sent  them  to  follow  their  mother  to 
the  grave,  for  the  propensities  of  her  nature  were  mostly 
of  a  selfish  and  ambitious  kind.  At  an  early  age,  in 
her  father's  petty  Court,  she  was  a  great  dabbler  in 
political  intrigues ;  in  her  temper  sullen,  cruel  and 
vindictive ;  extremely  penurious ;  forgetful  of  benefits, 
but  seldom  failing  to  avenge  an  injury  tenfold  ;  above 
all,  a  most  profound  dissembler,  and  able  to  wear  a 
smile  on  her  face,  and  show  all  manner  of  civilities  to 
the  person  most  mortally  hated,  and  whose  destruction, 
at  that  very  moment,  she  might  be  planning. 

Such  was  the  step-mother  whom  Frederick  Y. 
placed  over  the  children  of  Queen  Louisa  !  The  King 
possessed  great  sensibility,  and,  in  spite  of  all  the 
pretended  fondness  of  his  new  consort,  he   soon  ascer- 


12  SECRET     HISTORY     OF    THE 

tained  that  she  did  not  love  them.  Frederick  often 
indulged  his  feelings  so  far  as  to  have  the  children 
brought  to  him,  whom  he  caressed  with  every  mark 
of  strong  affection.  On  these  occasions  the  crafty  step- 
mother would  participate  in  his  affectionate  regard  of 
the  innocent  babes,  whilst  her  black  heart  cherished 
the  most  deadly  rancour.  Finding  herself  pregnant, 
she  nattered  her  ambition  with  the  hope  of  presenting 
her  lord  with  a  new  object  of  affection  that  should 
not  fail  to  wean  his  regards  from  the  fair  and  white- 
haired  boy  of  Louisa,  who  was  the  King's  darling. 
Instead,  however,  of  a  child  calculated  to  prove  a 
successful  rival  to  the  beautiful  Christian,  the  cruel 
and  envious  Queen  brought  forth  a  weakly,  deformed 
infant,  whose  appearance  was  calculated  to  excite  com- 
miseration mingled  with  disgust,  rather  than  love. 
This  deformed  child — contrary  to  expectation — lived  ; 
and,  as  its  strength  and  size  increased,  it  showed  a 
disposition  the  exact  reverse  of  Christian's,  and — 
owing,  perhaps,  to  organic  defects — was  cross,  sullen 
and  unmanageable.  This  was  a  source  of  sorrow  to 
the  good  and  humane  King,  and  of  unutterable  misery 
to  the  Queen,  whose  aversion  towards  Christian  in- 
creased as  she  saw  the  healthy,  playful,  volatile  boy 
becoming  more  and  more  the  pride  and  hope  of  his 
fond  father,  who,  nevertheless,  did  not  neglect  the 
deformed  Frederick,  nor  fail  to  bestow  upon  him  proofs 
of  a  regard  truly  paternal.  At  length,  to  such  a  pitch 
did  that  wicked  woman  suffer  malice  and  envy  to 
carry  her,  that,  to  secure  the  Crown  for  her  deformed 
son,  she  resolved  to  cut  off  the  blooming  young  Chris- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I 3 

tian  by  poison.  Having  determined  to  commit  murder, 
she  soon  found  what  she  believed  to  be  a  favourable 
opportunity.  The  young  Prince  happened  to  be  in- 
disposed. The  cruel  step-mother,  under  the  specious 
pretext  of  fondness,  was  frequent  in  her  visits  ere  an 
opportunity  of  attempting  the  horrid  deed  presented 
itself.  At  length,  she  found  the  Prince's  favourite 
nurse  preparing  some  gruel  for  her  young  charge 
over  a  silver  lamp,  and  there  was  no  other  attendant 
in  the  chamber.  She  ordered  the  nurse  to  go  to  her 
closet  to  fetch  her  something,  and,  as  soon  as  the 
door  closed,  she  approached  the  lamp  and  instantly 
infused  a  mineral  poison  into  the  gruel — a  small  part 
of  which,  if  it  had  been  swallowed  by  her  unconscious 
victim,  would  have  occasioned  his  death.  The  nurse 
in  question  was  by  birth  a  Norwegian,  and  had  been 
for  years  a  confidential  servant  of  the  Royal  Family. 
She  attended  Queen  Louisa  at  the  birth  of  Prince 
Christian  ;  she  strove  to  soothe  the  last  moments  of  her 
existence,  and  she  really  felt  towards  her  children  all  the 
affection  of  a  mother.  Having  long  entertained  sus- 
picions of  the  Queen's  intentions,  she  was  ever  suspicious 
and  watchful  of  Juliana  Maria's  proceedings  that  in  any 
way  affected  the  young  Prince.  At  the  moment  the  Queen 
entered  the  apartment,  her  heart  fraught  with  murder  and 
the  poison  in  her  hand,  there  might,  in  spite  of  all  her  cir- 
cumspection and  self-command,  have  been  some  peculiar 
expression  imprinted  on  her  countenance,  her  eye,  or 
tone  of  voice  that  alarmed  the  worst  fears  of  the  faithful 
and  vigilant  matron,  who,  instead  of  going  to  the  Queen's 
apartments  that  were  in  the  grand  front,  went  only  a  few 


14  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

steps  and  returned  softly  to  the  door,  and  distinctly 
perceived  the  Queen  infusing  something  from  a  paper 
into  the  gruel,  which  she  appeared  to  stir  in  the  silver 
saucepan  that  contained  it ;  which  done,  she  then 
replaced  it  on  the  lamp-flame  in  the  same  position  as 
the  nurse  had  left  it.  Horror  curdled  the  blood  in  the 
veins  of  the  nurse  as  she  beheld  this  scene.  Had  the 
Queen  offered  the  gruel  to  the  Prince  she  would  have 
rushed  in  and  torn  it  from  her;  but  Juliana  paced  the 
room  with  a  quick  and  hurried  step — her  hands  clenched 
together  and  a  strong  expression  of  suppressed  misery 
playing  on  her  stern  features.  Just  then  the  nurse 
saw  a  domestic  named  Wolff  cross  the  gallery  j1  him 
she  beckoned  to  come  near,  and  in  a  whisper  told  him  to 
go  to  Count  Molckte,  and  give  him  a  ring  that  she 
handed  to  him,  and  request  his  Excellency  to  make 
haste  to  the  apartment  of  the  Crown  Prince.  She  knew 
that  when  the  Count  saw  that  token  it  would  not  fail 
to  fix  his  attention  and  produce  immediate  acquiescence. 
This  done,  she  re-entered  the  room,  her  looks  and 
manner  betraying  the  painful  emotions  that  filled  her 
heart.  The  Queen,  without  noticing  her  coming  in 
sooner  than  she  could,  if  she  had  gone  to  the  front  of 
the  palace,  told  her  to  take  the  gruel  to  the  Prince, 
as  it  was  sufficiently  boiled,  and  would  no  doubt  do 
him  good!  Every  limb  shook  with  horror  as  the  nurse 
took  up  the  saucepan.  "  Why  do  not  you  go  with  it 
to  the  Prince?"  said  Juliana.  "Pardon  me,  gracious 
Queen,"  said  the  honest-hearted  woman,  "it  is  my  duty 


i   In  the  Mezzanine,  or  low  wings  that  connected  the  principal 
fronts  of  this  vast  edifice. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  1 5 

to  disobey  you."  Darting  a  withering  look  at  the 
nurse,  she  exclaimed :  "  How  dare  you  disobey  my 
commands  ?  "  The  nurse  replied  not,  but,  as  the  tears 
streamed  from  her  eyes,  she  looked  significantly  at  the 
gruel,  and  mournfully  shook  her  head.  Thrown 
off  her  guard  by  passion,  the  Queen  ordered  the 
nurse  out  of  the  room ;  who  stood  immovable  as  a 
statue,  holding  the  saucepan  in  her  hand.  Equally 
torn  by  rage  and  fear,  on  seeing  her  wicked  plot 
thus  frustrated,  and  infamy  and  ruin  suspended 
over  her  head,  like  the  sword  of  Damocles,  by  a  single 
hair,  the  Queen,  ever  fertile  in  resources,  took  the 
desperate  resolution  to  accuse  the  nurse  of  having 
attempted  to  commit  the  crime  she  herself  came  to 
perpetrate !  Sudden  as  lightning  she  acted  on  this 
diabolical  impulse ;  and  turning  towards  a  bell,  rang 
it  furiously ;  a  gentleman  of  the  Prince's  suite  entered, 
and  beheld,  in  silent  amazement,  the  scene  before  him. 
"  Go,"  said  Juliana,  "  to  M.  Guldberg,  and  tell  him 
to  come  instantly  to  me."  The  gentleman  bowed  and 
withdrew.  "  Now,  wretch,"  said  the  furious  Queen, 
her  eyes  flashing  fire,  "  thou  shalt  feel  the  full  weight 
of  my  vengeance ;  thy  limbs  shall  be  broken  on  the 
wheel  for  having  attempted  to  poison  the  Crown  Prince; 
the  proofs  of  thy  guilt  are  now  in  thine  own  hands  !  " 
"  May  God  forgive  you,  Queen,"  said  the  astonished 
woman,  "  as  I  can  pardon  you  for  my  death,  if  I  am 
the  humble  means  of  saving  the  son  of  my  beloved 
mistress."  Just  then,  Count  Molckte  entered  the 
room.  "  Behold  in  that  wicked  woman,"  said  the  pale 
and    passion-torn    Queen,    "  a    wretch    whom     I    have 


l6  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

detected  in  the  very  act  of  administering  poison  to  the 
Crown  Prince !  Call  in  the  guards !  when  the  King 
returns  he  will  order  her  to  be  put  to  the  severest 
torture,  to  force  her  to  confess  by  whom  she  has  been 
suborned  to  the  commission  of  this  horrible  crime." 
The  Count  heard  the  Queen  in  respectful  silence.  In 
a  grave  and  severe  tone,  he  said,  "  I  wish  to  speak 
with  Your  Majesty  alone ;  shall  I  attend  Your  Majesty 
in  your  own  apartment,  or  order  the  nurse  to  with- 
draw ?  "  Little  suspecting  that  this  minister  had 
long  kept  a  watchful  eye  over  her  conduct,  and  was 
in  possession  of  other  evidence  of  a  criminating  ten- 
dency— besides  that  of  the  nurse,  who  stood  calm  and 
undaunted  amidst  this  storm  of  guilty  passion — Juliana 
exclaimed,  "  What !  are  you  too,  Count,  an  enemy  to 
the  Crown  Prince,  and  the  accomplice  of  this  trembling 
culprit  ?  "  "  How  can  Your  Majesty  harbour  such  a 
thought  ?  "  he  coolly  replied  ;  "  my  son  would  not  succeed 
to  the  throne  if  the  Crown  Prince  were  no  more ! " 
Count  Molckte  was  a  man  of  keen  penetration,  and 
perfectly  a  courtier.  His  looks  implied  more  than  his 
words.  The  abashed  and  guilty  Queen,  awed  and 
confounded,  said,  "  If  your  Excellency  pleases,  let  the 
woman  retire."  The  Count  then  took  the  saucepan 
from  her  hand,  and  the  nurse  went  into  the  Prince's 
bedroom.  What  passed  between  Count  Molckte  and 
Juliana  can  only  be  surmised  ;  but  in  less  than  an 
hour  he  went  to  the  Prince's  room,  and,  after  paying 
his  compliments,  told  him  that  his  favourite  nurse  must 
go  immediately  to  Norway.  He  was  so  affected  at  the 
news  that,  clinging  round  her  neck,  the  fond  boy  said, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  1 7 

"  Then  I  will  go  to  Norway  too;  you  shall  not  take  away 
my  mother."  It  was  in  vain  the  Count  strove  to  pacify 
him.  "I  will  apply  to  my  father,"  said  he  in  an  angry 
tone;  "  I  am  sure  he  will  not  suffer  this  mother  to  be  taken 
away  from  me."  The  Count  appeared  embarrassed  and 
retired ;  he  soon  came  back  again,  when,  calling  the  nurse 
into  an  ante-room,  he  artfully  strove  to  convince  her  that 
she  had  been  deceived,  and  that  the  Queen  had  merely 
stirred  the  gruel  to  keep  it  from  burning.  The  nurse 
shook  her  head,  saying:  "Will  your  Excellency  allow  me 
to  carry  the  gruel  to  the  Prince's  apothecary?"  "Yes," 
said  the  subtle  minister,  "you  may."  She  ran  for  the 
saucepan,  but  found  it  empty  and  perfectly  clean !  More 
alarmed  than  ever,  and  fearful  that  the  Count  had  en- 
tered into  the  Queen's  hostile  views  against  the  Crown 
Prince,  she  secretly  determined  to  address  the  King  on 
the  danger  which  awaited  his  darling  boy.  The  in- 
sidious minister,  reading  in  her  ingenuous  countenance 
what  was  passing  in  her  mind,  whilst  he  applauded  her 
courage  and  fidelity,  told  her  he  meant  to  have  sent 
her  home  to  Norway  merely  to  secure  her  from  the 
Queen's  power,  but  he  now  wished  her  to  remain,  assur- 
ing her  if  she  pledged  herself  by  a  solemn  oath  to  secrecy, 
she  should  be  safe  from  the  effects  of  the  Queen's  dislike, 
and  remain  in  attendance  on  the  Crown  Prince,  at  the 
same  time  pledging  himself  in  the  most  solemn  manner 
for  the  perfect  safety  of  the  Prince.  To  these  terms,  for 
the  sake  of  continuing  her  attendance,  the  faithful  nurse 
assented.  The  wicked  Queen,  humbled  and  defeated, 
abstained  from  visiting  the  Prince's  apartments.  The 
same  day  she  was  reported  to  be  indisposed,  and  the  next 
vol.  1  2 


IO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

day  went  to  Hirschholm  Palace.  But  the  affair  did  not 
end  here.  The  King  (Frederick  V.)  was  then  absent  at 
a  small  hunting  lodge  called  Jagersprest,  situated  near 
the  Palace  of  Charlottenborg.  Thither  the  gentleman 
repaired  whom  the  Queen  had  commanded  to  call  M. 
Guldberg.  He  obtained  an  audience,  and  told  the  as- 
tonished King  not  only  what  he  had  seen  and  heard 
in  the  ante-chamber  of  the  Prince,  but  many  important 
circumstances  besides.  It  is  not  in  language  to  express 
the  agonising  feelings  excited  by  this  intelligence,  for  his 
own  life  was  less  dear  to  Frederick  than  that  of  his 
darling  son.  He  applauded  the  conduct  of  his  informer, 
and  such  was  his  haste  to  return  to  Christiansborg  Palace, 
that  he  fell  down  stairs  and  broke  his  leg.  The  agitation 
of  his  mind  produced  a  fever  that  nearly  proved  fatal. 
As  soon  as  his  fractured  limb  was  set,  he  caused  the 
Norwegian  nurse  and  Count  Molckte  to  be  summoned 
before  him,  taking  precautions  to  prevent  any  previous 
intercourse.  The  result  was  that  he  had  no  cause  to 
doubt  the  guilt  of  Juliana,  or  that  the  life  of  the  Crown 
Prince  had  been  preserved  by  the  courage  and  fidelity  of 
his  nurse,  whom  he  liberally  rewarded.  From  this 
moment  he  never  cohabited  with  his  guilty  Queen ; 
but  the  thoughts  of  her  wickedness,  and  the  danger 
of  his  son  and  heir,  preyed  continually  on  his  feeling 
mind.  As  a  resource — a  sad  resouce  it  proved — this 
excellent  King  gave  himself  up  to  drinking;  and  Count 
Molckte  being  at  once  master  of  the  Queen  and  the 
favourite  minister  of  the  King,  was,  dc  facto,  Autocrat 
of  Denmark,  exercising  the  sovereign  authority  in 
the    name    of    his    master,    who    rapidly    became    but 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  ig 

the  shadow  of  what  he  had  formerly  been.  Juliana 
secretly  intended  to  make  M.  Guldberg  minister, 
who  was  a  man  of  great  talent  and  cool  judg- 
ment ;  but  this  detection  foiled  her  plans,1  and  forced 
her  to  bow  to  the  man  whom  she  hated  and  feared. 
It  was  by  this  means  Count  Molckte  acquired  that 
unlimited  power  which,  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
reign  of  Frederick  V.,  he  exercised  in  a  way  so  des- 
potic as  to  procure  him  the  ironical  appellation  of 
"  Koning  Molckte."  This  is  generally  the  case  with 
autocracies  :  Some  favourite  governs  the  autocrat, 
who  thereby  governs  the  State — frequently  reducing 
the  autocrat  himself  to  a  mere  cipher.  Few,  indeed, 
have  been  the  number  of  absolute  monarchs  who  were 
not  themselves  as  far  from  being  free  as  the  meanest 
of  their  slaves.  But  to  quit  this  digression  ;  though  the 
mind  of  the  mild  and  benevolent  Monarch,  Frederick  V., 


i  The  machinations  of  this  envious  Queen  against  the  life  of 
Christian  VII.  did  not  cease  with  this  attempt.  She  strove,  by  gold 
and  promises  of  preferment,  to  seduce  the  attendants  of  the  child. 
It  happened,  according  to  Latrobe's  translation,  as  the  King  and 
Royal  Family  were  taking  the  recreation  of  sailing  in  a  Royal  yacht 
on  the  coast  of  Zealand,  near  the  palace  of  Fredensborg  (about  five 
Danish  miles  north  of  Copenhagen),  that  the  young  Prince  Christian 
being  rather  unruly,  one  of  the  attendants,  named  Brocdorph,  seized 
the  boy,  held  him  over  the  stern  of  the  yacht,  and  threatened  to 
throw  him  into  the  water.  From  the  boy's  struggles  to  get  free,  or 
from  treachery,  down  he  fell  into  the  sea,  whence  he  was  rescued  ; 
but,  as  long  as  reason  held  its  seat,  the  Prince  :mputed  this  act  to  the 
agency  of  his  fell  step-mother,  with  a  view  to  procure  the  Crown  for 
her  beloved  son  Frederick.  So  far,  the  anonymous  author  ;  and 
what,  in  some  respect,  corroborated  this  opinion,  Brocdorph,  being 
forbidden  to  appear  in  the  Prince's  presence,  was  immediately 
engaged  in  the  service  of  the  Queen,  and  placed  as  an  officer  in 
her  palace. — Editor. 

2 — 2 


20  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

was  thus  clouded,  he  was  never  happy  except  the 
Crown  Prince  was  in  his  presence.  As  he  grew  in 
years,  Christian  became  more  and  more  the  favourite 
of  the  King  and  people.  In  the  wildest  sallies  of  his 
father,  the  Prince  had  more  command  over  him  than 
any  other  person  ;  and  he  often  had  influence  enough 
to  prevent  him,  when  tipsy,  from  lavishing  away  his 
treasures  on  the  companions  of  his  cups,  and  even  of 
inducing  him  to  retract  those  improvident  gifts  when 
sober. 

In  one  of  these  fits,  the  King  made  Count  Molckte 
a  present  of  the  magnificent  Palace  of  Hirschholm1 
and  all  its  costly  furniture  !  The  Crown  Prince,  hear- 
ing of  this  lavish  act,  went  to  his  study,  and  taking 
in  his  hand  a  plan  of  the  palace,  carried  it  to  Count 
Molckte,  saying,  "  Content  yourself  with  this,  I  be- 
seech your  Excellency  ;  and  believe  me,  unless  you 
possess  the  Crown,  the  Palace  of  Hirschholm  shall 
never   be   yours." 

On  another  occasion,  the  King  desired  Prince  Chris- 
tian to  fill  the  glasses  for  himself  and  the  Count.  The 
Prince  coloured  and  hesitated.  The  King  repeated  his 
commands,  telling  him  to  fill  for  himself  also.  Upon 
which  the  spirited  youth  first  filled  to  the  brim  the 
glass  that  stood  before  the  Count,  the  King's  glass 
only  half  full,  and  in  his  own  he  scarcely  poured  any 
wine.  "  Hey  day  !  What  do  you  mean  by  this, 
Christian  ?  "  said  the  King.  "  I  mean,  Sire,"  said  he, 
"  to  denote  hereby  our  relative  consequence  in  the 
State.  Count  Molckte  being  King  and  minister,  I 
i  The  Isle  of  Stays 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  21 

filled  the  glass  commensurate  with  his  authority. 
You,  my  father,  being  the  next  person  in  the  State 
to  the  Count,  I  half- rilled  your  glass;  as  for  myself, 
being  of  no  consequence  whatever,  I  took  no  wine." 
Weakened  and  obscured  as  was  the  intellect  of  the 
King,  he  pressed  his  son  to  his  bosom,  and  a  tear 
glistened  in  his  eye  at  the  reproof  thus  conveyed.  It 
was,  however,  only  a  momentary  impression.  He  still 
continued  his  career,  till  Nature,  vanquished  by  his 
excesses,  and  not  worn  out  by  time,  could  endure  no 
more.  He  died  in  the  year  1766,  in  the  forty-sixth  year 
of  his  age  and  the  twenty-third  of  his  reign.  The  Crown 
Prince  Christian,  whom  Juliana  Maria  hated  and  would 
fain  have  murdered,  was  then  proclaimed  King  by  the 
name  of  Christian  VII.  Seldom  was  the  dawn  of  any 
reign  more  auspicious  than  his.  He  was  young,  hand- 
some, affable  and  generous,  and  the  idol  of  the  people. 
This  event  knocked  the  stage  from  under  King  Molckte, 
and  the  sovereign  power  was,  for  a  short  time,  really 
exercised  by  him  who  wore  the  Crown. 


22  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 


CHAPTER  III 

The  character  and  person  of  Christian  VII. — Demoralised  by  his 
cruel  step-mother — Portrait  of  Caroline  Matilda  at  fifteen 
years  of  age — Reflections  on,  and  instances  of,  the  unhap- 
piness  of  Royal  females — Secret  memoirs  of  Gustavus  III. 
and  his  Queen — The  Princess  Albertina — Unhappy  love 
— An  extraordinary  expedient,  its  detection — The  secret 
history  of  the  birth  of  Gustavus  IV.,  Adolphus,  noiv  Count 
Gottorp. 

The  person  of  the  young  King,  though  considerably 
under  the  middle  height,  was  finely  proportioned,  light 
and  compact,  but  yet  possessing  a  considerable  degree  of 
agility  and  strength.  His  complexion,  remarkably  fair; 
his  features,  if  not  handsome,  were  regular ;  his  eyes 
blue,  lively  and  expressive  ;  his  hair  very  light ;  he  had 
a  good  forehead  and  aquiline  nose  ;  a  handsome  mouth 
and  a  fine  set  of  teeth.  He  was  elegant  rather  than 
magnificent  in  his  dress ;  courteous  in  his  manners ;  of 
a  very  amorous  constitution  ;  warm  and  irritable  in  his 
temper ;  but  his  anger,  if  soon  excited,  was  easily 
appeased ;  and  he  was  generous  to  profusion.  Such 
was  the  person  and  disposition  of  Christian  VII.  when 
he  ascended  the  throne  of  Denmark. 

The  reigning  Queen,  Juliana,  failing  in  her  attempts 
to  take  the  life  of  the  heir-apparent,  adopted  a  method 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  23 

scarcely  less  cruel  to  effect  the  destruction  of  this 
young  and  thoughtless  Prince.  It  was  her  influence 
that,  during  his  father's  lifetime,  opened  the  doors  of 
the  palace  and  connived  at  his  nocturnal  sallies  to  the 
haunts  of  lewd  women.  It  was  Juliana,  through  the 
agency  of  M.  Guldberg,  who  surrounded  him  with  a 
crowd  of  voluptuous  and  gay  young  courtiers,  in  whose 
society  his  morals  were  corrupted  and  his  constitution 
undermined.  In  some  of  his  wild  sallies  he  beat 
waiters,  broke  glasses  and  furniture,  attacked  watch- 
men, and  more  than  once  was  actually  taken  into 
custody.  These  traits  resemble  the  youthful  follies  of 
that  favourite  hero,  Henry  V.,  and  like  him,  Christian 
might  have  been  a  hero  and  a  conqueror  if  he  had 
had  similar  means  and  opportunities,  and  had  not  been 
betrayed  into  all  manner  of  precocious  excesses  by 
those  whose  duty  it  was  to  have  watched,  admonished 
and  protected  him. 

Being  so  completely  a  libertine  as  to  women,  he 
would  not,  if  left  to  himself,  have  thought  of  marrying 
so  soon,  if  at  all.  A  consciousness  of  the  evil  designs 
of  the  Queen -Dowager,  and  a  desire  to  counteract 
them,  rather  than  any  sense  of  public  duty,  induced 
the  young  and  giddy  Monarch  to  listen  to  those  who 
advised  him  to  strengthen  his  throne  by  an  alliance 
with  his  fair  young  cousin  Matilda,  sister  to  the  King 
of  England.  He  consented  ;  negotiations  were  opened, 
and  the  Princess  Matilda  became  Queen  of  Denmark. 

Caroline  Matilda  was  the  youngest  child  of  Frederick, 
Prince  of  Wales,  and,  as  well  as  her  husband,  a  grand- 
child of  George   II.     She  was  very  tall,  of  a  majestic 


24  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

rather  than  elegant  make,  and  a  very  pleasing  rather 
than  a  beautiful  countenance.  Her  complexion  was 
uncommonly  fine — she  might,  without  flattery,  have 
been  termed  the  fairest  of  the  fair.  Her  hair  was  very 
light  flaxen,  almost  as  white  as  silver  and  of  luxuriant 
growth  ;  her  eyes,  light  blue,  clear,  large  and  expressive  ; 
her  lips,  particularly  the  under  lip,  full  and  pouting ; 
her  teeth,  white  and  regular.  Even  at  this  early  age, 
Matilda  was  much  inclined  to  what  the  French  call 
embonpoint.  Her  education  had  been  carefully  attended 
to  ;  her  temper  was  generally  mild  and  gentle,  though 
sometimes  rather  quick ;  her  demeanour  towards  the 
lower  and  middle  classes  full  of  condescension.  Towards 
the  supercilious  Queen-Dowager,  Matilda  soon  displayed 
traits  of  that  impetuous  and  haughty  turn  that  is  said 
to  be  characteristic  of  the  Guelphs.  She  was  neither 
profuse  nor  generous,  but  her  extreme  youth,  her  fresh- 
ness and  apparent  good-humour,  endeared  her  to  every 
liberal  mind.  I  saw  this  ill-fated  Princess  when  she 
first  set  her  foot  on  the  soil  of  Denmark.  I  did  not 
join  in  the  shouts  of  the  multitude,  but  I  was  charmed 
with  her  appearance.  Everything  she  saw  was  grandeur 
and  festivity :  she  was  received  like  a  divinity,  and 
almost  worshipped,  at  least  by  those  of  the  masculine 
gender.  Her  animated,  beautiful  features,  her  fine  blue 
eyes,  beamed  with  delight  on  all  around  her.  How  kind 
it  was  of  fate  to  shut  from  her  view  the  dreadful  reverse 
that  soon  snatched  the  diadem  from  her  brows,  her  in- 
fants from  her  bosom,  and  sent  her  forth  from  Denmark 
repudiated  into  perpetual  exile. 

That  youth  must  have  been  a  stoic  whose  heart,  if 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  25 

not  devoted  to  some  prior  object,  would  not  have  been 
enslaved  by  this  fair  foreigner,  who  was  but  little  more 
than  fifteen  years  of  age  at  this  period.  She  had  not 
done  growing,  and  though  a  woman  in  stature,  was  a 
mere  child  in  point  of  judgment.  As  to  the  Prince 
destined  to  be  her  husband,  though  a  youth  under  his 
twentieth  year,  he  was  older  in  constitution  than  many 
a  hale  man  of  threescore ;  and  almost  before  he  had 
arrived  at  the  age  of  manhood  he  had  well-nigh  ceased 
to  be  a  man — a  circumstance  that  should  be  duly  con- 
sidered by  all  who  would  form  a  just  opinion  of  the 
virtues  or  frailties  of  this  unfortunate  lady. 

Entitled  to  our  pity,  rather  than  our  envy,  is  the 
fate  that  too  often  awaits  the  daughters  of  Royalty. 
Dearly  do  they  pay,  by  the  misery  they  are  too  often 
doomed  to  suffer,  for  the  empty  pomp  that  awaits  them. 
Seldom,  if  ever,  they  enjoy  the  natural  affection  of  their 
parents,  for  the  loss  of  which  no  pageantry  can  atone. 
Their  mothers  are  not  allowed,  even  when  inclined, 
to  nourish  with  their  own  breast  their  tender  offspring, 
to  press  their  infants  with  ardour  to  their  bosom,  or 
to  perform  those  endearing  offices  dictated  by  Nature 
and  claimed  by  their  helpless  young.  How  much  more 
happy  is  the  wife  or  the  child  of  a  peasant,  when 
health,  peace  and  plenty  fall  to  their  lot.  The  children 
of  kings,  from  the  hour  of  their  birth,  are  consigned 
to  mercenary  hands :  they  are  suckled  by  mercenary 
breasts,  by  mothers  who,  for  the  sake  of  gain,  rob  their 
own  children  of  their  natural  inheritance  to  sell  it  to  a 
wealthy  stranger.  On  such  hirelings  those  infantine 
marks  of  affection  are  bestowed,  that  are  never  returned 


26  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

with  the  warmth  which  marks  the  caresses  of  a  fond 
mother.  As  soon  as  their  intellects  admit,  the  Royal 
babes  are  consigned  to  the  tuition  of  numerous  indi- 
viduals, most  of  whom  they  fear,  hate  or  despise,  and 
by  whom  their  manners  and  habits  are  formed.  Thus 
the  children  of  kings,  the  daughters  in  particular,  be- 
come a  sort  of  artificial  beings,  who,  having  no  equal, 
must  form  no  tender  attachment,  but  hold  their  sub- 
dued affections  in  a  state  of  abeyance,  debarred  their 
natural  right  of  reserving  the  heart  and  hand  for  the 
man  they  love.  They  may  fairly  be  considered  as  the 
most  elevated  class  of  Royal  slaves,  a  sort  of  kingly 
merchandise,  of  which  ambassadors  are  the  salesmen ; 
sometimes  they  are  offered  to  a  conqueror  to  ap- 
pease his  ire  ;  some  are  bartered  away  to  procure 
political  influence  in  a  foreign  Court ;  or  coveted  by 
some  cold,  calculating  prince  as  the  medium  whereby 
he  hopes  to  gain  possession  of  the  territories  to 
which  she  is  heiress.  Such  was  the  case  with  the 
lovely  and  unfortunate  ancestor  of  our  Matilda,  the 
Princess  of  Zell.  Though  she  was  lovely  in  her 
person,  gentle  and  amiable  in  her  manners  and  temper, 
highly  accomplished,  and  in  the  flower  of  her  youth, 
she  was  yet  regarded  as  a  mere  appurtenance  to  the 
Duchy,  and  soon  treated  by  her  brutal  lord  with 
cruelty  and  contempt.  The  cowardly  assassination  of 
Count  Konigsmark  and  the  incarceration  of  this  in- 
jured Princess,  are  subjects  too  well  known  to  need 
repetition.1 

i  The  Electoral  Prince  had,  for  some  time,  not  only  deserted 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  2~] 

To  a  female  of  real  delicacy,  what  can  be  conceived 
more  revolting  to  modesty  than  to  form  a  union  with 
a  man  whom,  till  that  moment,  her  eyes  never  beheld  ? 
How  tremendous  is  the  risk  she  runs  that  her  peace 
of  mind  shall  cease  with  her  celibacy.  Obedient  to  the 
call  of  the  oligarchs  of  Sweden,  Gustavus  III.,  then 
Crown  Prince,  married  in  1766  the  Princess  Royal  of 
Denmark,  Sophia  Magdalena.  She,  too,  was  a  fine 
young  woman,  such  as  the  epicurean  debauchee  would 
make  almost  any  sacrifice  to  obtain.  What  a  singular 
destiny  was  hers  !       Betrothed   to  one  of  the  most  ele- 

her  entirely,  but  corresponded  with  his  mistress*  openly,  of  which 
Her  Royal  Highness  not  only  complained  to  the  Elector  and 
Electress,  though  without  effect,  but  enlarged  upon  the  affront 
offered  to  her,  in  pretty  severe  terms,  to  the  Prince  himself;  who, 
instead  of  using  the  least  address  to  mollify  her,  gave  way  to  such 
a  transport  of  rage  that,  utterly  forgetful  both  of  her  sex  and 
her  quality,  he  fiercely  seized  the  Princess  by  the  throat,  then 
pregnant  and  near  her  time  !  The  whole  palace  immediately  took 
the  alarm,  and  everybody  who  dared  rushed  in  to  prevent  further 
mischief ;  notwithstanding  which,  the  Prince  was  so  lost  in  passion 
as  publicly  to  avow  that  henceforward  she  was  to  consider  him 
as  her  mortal  enemy  ;  but  his  threats  were  not  heard  by  her  to 
whom  they  were  addressed,  grief  and  terror  had  oppressed  her  so 
strongly  that  she  fainted  in  the  arms  of  those  who  had  come  to 
her  relief,  and  in  that  condition  she  was  removed  to  her  apart- 
ment. 

*  This  celebrated  woman  afterwards  figured  in  England  as  Duchess  of  Kendal. 
The  "  Memoirs  and  Secret  Negotiations  of  John  Ker,  of  Kersland,  Esq."  (2  vols., 
London,  1726),  treats  largely  of  this  mercenary  adventuress.  Mr.  Ker,  of  Kers- 
land, had  been  highly  instrumental  in  promoting  the  Hanoverian  Succession ; 
he  was  a  Scotchman,  and  to  gain  the  favour  of  the  House  of  Hanover,  even 
during  Queen  Anne's  reign,  he  betrayed  the  interests  of  his  own  country.  He 
was  promised  a  place,  but  because  he  would  not  give  a  large  douceur  to  the 
German  agent  of  this  German-Anglo  Duchess  he  was  disappointed,  and  thereby 
totally  ruined.  Mr.  Ker  exposed  the  venality  of  this  wholesale  trafficker  in 
politics,  &c,  and  she  caused  him  to  be  prosecuted  ex  officio.  The  once-favoured 
instrument,  now  no  longer  needful,  was  suffered  to  pine  in  the  King's  Bench, 
borne  down  by  her  baleful  influence,  where  he  died  poor,  deserted,  and  broken- 
hearted, in  July,  172C. 


28  SECRET    HISTORY    OF     THE 

gant  and  accomplished  princes  of  Europe,  then  in  the 
bloom  of  youth,  she  was  received  by  him  with  con- 
fusion and  restraint  ;  during  many  years  this  restraint 
continued,  and  neglect  and  insult  followed.  I  have  often 
seen  her  at  the  Swedish  Court  when  she  lived  in  com- 
pulsory retirement  as  Crown  Princess,  and  afterwards 
when  she  was  Queen  of  Sweden.  In  spite  of  all  her 
efforts  to  dress  her  face  in  smiles  whilst  her  heart  was  a 
prey  to  misery,  I  saw  that  she  was  unhappy  ;  and,  falling 
into  the  prejudice  of  the  day,  I  imputed  her  sorrows  to 
the  moroseness  of  the  Queen-Mother.  I  became  ac- 
quainted with  her  confidante,  Madame .     I  was  then 

young  and  chivalrous,  and  beloved  by  this  lady.  Master 
of  her  entire  affections,  it  will  not  be  deemed  surprising 
if  I  also  became  master  of  many  particulars  respecting 
her  Royal  mistress  that,  in  strict  honour,  ought  not 
to  have  been  revealed,  the  strange  nature  of  which 
excited  in  my  bosom  sorrow,  pity,  disgust  and  in- 
dignation !  Neglected  and  despised  by  the  creature 
called  her  husband — borne  down  by  the  austerity  of  that 
great  and  inflexible  woman,  Louisa  Ulrica,  the  sister 
of  Frederick  the  Great,  and  consort  to  the  mild  and 
benevolent  Monarch,  Adolf  Frederick,  our  Princess 
found  herself,  in  the  flower  of  her  youth,  a  wife  with- 
out a  husband,  without  peace  and  without  hope  ! 
Being  a  Dane,  though  of  humble  rank,  my  steps  were 
watched  with  jealous  caution ;  the  unguarded  con- 
versations of  Count  Ulric  Scheffer  enabled  me  to  see 
my  danger.     I   was   romantic    enough  to  endeavour   to 

persuade  Madame  to  prevail  on  my  fair,  neglected 

countrywoman    to   imitate    the    conduct    of    the    Queen- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  20, 

Dowager,  Maria  Eleonora,1  widow  of  Gustavus  Adol- 
phus,  and  mother  of  that  heroic  Queen,  Christina.  I 
scarcely  need    say   that    my  counsel   was    not    followed. 

Madame said  to  me  reproachfully,  "What!   would 

you  take  our  Princess  from  the  open  enmity  of  a  great 
and  magnanimous  woman  like  Louisa  Ulrica  to  place  her 
at    the   mercy    of    that  fiend,    Juliana    Maria  ? "      I  was 

1  This  Princess  was  the  daughter  of  John  Sigismund,  Elector 
of  Brandenburg,  born  the  nth  of  November,  1599,  married  to 
Gustavus  Adolphus,  King  of  Sweden,  the  25th  of  November,  1620, 
and  crowned  the  28th  of  the  same  month.  Their  only  child, 
Christina,  succeeded  her  illustrious  father  on  the  throne  of  Sweden, 
who  was  killed  at  the  Battle  of  Lutzen,  or  treacherously  mur- 
dered, as  others  suppose,  on  the  16th  of  November,  1C32.  Thus 
was  Maria  Eleonora  born,  married,  crowned,  and  widowed  in  the 
month  of  November ;  she  survived  her  daughter's  abdication  only 
nine  months,  dying  the  18th  of  March,  1655,  and  was  buried 
near  her  husband  in  the  Gustavian  sepulchre  in  Ridderholm 
Church,  Stockholm.  The  following  narration  of  her  extraor- 
dinary flight  is  translated  from  Carl  Frederick  Ljungman's  descrip- 
tion of  Gripsholm  Castle,  printed  in  Stockholm  1790,  p.  16,  &c, 
from  which  compilation  it  appears  that  this  curious  record  was 
originally  written  in  German  in  Apelblad's  description  of  Saxony, 
page  47. 

"The  Queen-Dowager,  Maria  Eleonora,  on  the  23rd  of  July, 
went  secretly  away  from  Gripsholm  Castle,  and  on  the  25th  em- 
barked on  shipboard  near  Trosa,  a  small  bay  ten  leagues  from 
Sodertelje.  The  Government  being  informed  on  the  29th  of  what 
had  happened,  despatched  messengers  after  the  Queen  in  five 
different  directions,  but  in  vain.  On  Thursday,  the  Burgomaster  of 
Calmar  arrived  (at  Upsala),  who  informed  the  Government  that,  in 
an  unfrequented  bay,  he  had  seen  a  vessel  lying  at  anchor,  and  a 
man  walking  on  the  deck  who  had  a  pistol  on  each  side  of  him. 
As  soon  as  the  Regency  had  this  intelligence  communicated  to 
them,  they  immediately  despatched  a  messenger  to  Trosa  to 
enquire  into  matters.  Upon  his  arrival  he  found  affairs  as  they 
had  been  represented,  and  he  returned  with  tidings  of  her 
conduct  in  effecting   her  escape.     It   seems   that,   two  years  pre- 


30  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

silenced.  Not  to  proceed  too  far  in  this  digression 
from  the  fate  of  Matilda,  I  shall  merely  state  that 
Gustavus  totally  neglected  his  Danish  bride  and  in- 
dulged in  propensities  that  my  pen  shall  not  be 
polluted  by  naming.1  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  she  was 
made  the  scoff  of  those  debased  wretches,  her  husband's 
favourite   associates.     The    Queen,    however,    kept    her 


ceding  this  elopement,  the  Queen-Dowager  had  attempted  to  effect 
her  escape  from  Gottenburg  ;  but,  not  being  able  to  execute 
her  project  there,  upon  her  arrival  at  Gripsholm  Castle,  she  gave 
out  that,  during  three  days  in  each  month,  she  should  remain 
with  her  waiting-woman  in  her  chamber  to  celebrate  religious  duties, 
during  which  time  no  one  was  to  be  admitted  to  her  ;  nor  would  she 
see  anyone.  What  she  required  to  eat  and  drink  was  ordered  to  be 
placed  in  her  apartment  to  serve  the  whole  time.  Her  chaplain  said 
prayers  outside  her  door,  and  this  custom  the  Queen  continued  till 
July  21st,  1640,  when  she  said  to  her  spiritual  guide,  '  My  vow  will 
shortly  expire  ;  I  will  double  my  number  of  days  of  fasting  and 
prayer  and  close  therewith.'  She  had  sent  the  Marshal  of  the 
Palace  to  Stromsholm,  near  Westeros,  to  make  everything  ready  for 
her  reception  there  within  ten  days.  As  soon  as  he  was  got  rid  of, 
the  Queen-Dowager  introduced  six  pieces  of  coarse  wrappering  into 
her  apartment,  in  which  she  secretly  packed  up  her  valuables. 

'•  When  the  23rd  of  July  arrived,  she  said,  '  To-morrow  I  com- 
mence my  fast  and  thanksgiving ;  therefore  prepare  everything  for 
six  days  that  I  shall  have  occasion  for,  as  during  that  time  I  shall 
not  suffer  any  one  to  see  me.'  She  had  already  procured  from 
Nykoping  two  side-saddles  covered  with  velvet  for  herself  and  her 
young  waiting-woman,  which  were  concealed  in  the  chamber  of 
George  Pagreln  the  page  ;  and  fourteen  days  prior  to  this  period  the 
prudent  Queen  had  caused  two  palfreys  to  be  turned  into  the  park, 
under  pretext  that  those  nags  ought  to  have  grass,  by  which  strata- 
gem she  avoided  the  risk  and  trouble  of  procuring  horses  from  the 
Royal  stables  ;  and  with  a  view  to  promote  the  great  object  of  all 
these  preparations,  she  caused  a  covered  way  to  be  made  from  her 
chambers  to  the  gardens,  of  such  an  extent  that  she  could  go  a 
considerable  way,  and  which  she  contrived  so  that  no  one  could 
1  See  Lewis  Goldsmith's  "Crimes  of  Cabinets,"  p.  16. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  31 

shame  and  sorrow  to  herself,  and  strove  when  in  public 
to  dress  her  face  in  smiles.  And  so  complete  an  adept 
in  the  practice  of  the  most  profound  dissimulation  was 
Gustavus,  that  when  they  met  in  public,  which  was 
as  seldom  as  possible,  he  acted  the  part  of  a  fond, 
nay,  even  an  uxorious  husband.  Detestable  hypocrite  ! 
— -I    have     seen    the    arch-dissembler    practising    those 


observe  her  when  she  walked  under  it ;  this  was  finished  only  four 
days  previous  to  her  last  long  fast ! 

"  The  23rd  July  being  come,  provisions  and  necessaries  to  serve 
for  six  days  were  carried  into  the  Queen's  apartment ;  into  which  she 
went  with  a  young  lady  named  Bulowein,  who,  the  preceding  year 
had  arrived  from  Denmark  to  take  service  with  Maria  Eleanora. 
But  at  night,  the  covered  passages  concealing  their  movements,  and 
the  nags  prepared,  the  one  for  herself  and  Miss  Bulowein,  and  the 
other  for  the  page  George  Pagreln,  and  a  Danish  painter,  the  party 
got  off  undiscovered,  and  passing  by  Trosa,  went  to  a  farm  about  two 
leagues  distance,  called  Dargenge,  where  it  was  pretended  that  the 
Queen-Dowager  was  the  daughter  of  a  citizen  of  Nykoping,  and  the 
Danish  painter  her  lover,  whose  parents  would  not  permit  her  to 
marry  him,  and  he  had  prevailed  on  her  to  quit  her  country  to  go 
with  him  over  the  sea  ;  their  horses,  saddles,  pistols  and  riding  coats 
they  left  at  this  farm  ;  those  were  sent  forward  by  a  messenger,  and 
on  Friday  the  party  went  into  a  boat  and  proceeded  six  leagues, 
where  they  found  a  galliot,  on  which  they  went  on  board,  and  after 
sailing  two  leagues  in  this  vessel  they  reached  two  Danish  ships  of 
war  that  were  waiting  for  them,  on  board  of  which  the  Queen  and 
her  party  went ;  and  on  Saturday,  which  was  St.  Jacob's  day,  the 
25th  of  July,  the  ships  of  war  sailed  away. 

"  The  country-people  stated  that  all  the  men  who  were  in  the  boat 
or  upon  the  galliot,  as  well  as  the  men-of-war,  spoke  pure  Danish,  and 
that  the  Queen  shed  tears  in  profusion  when  she  left  the  farmhouse  at 
Dargenge.  The  Danish  painter  said  to  her  in  Swedish,  '  Do  not 
weep,  my  love,  tranquillise  your  mind :  rest  assured  everything 
will  terminate  happily.'  The  whole  of  her  party  when  she  em- 
barked amounted  to  thirty  persons.  The  young  lady  Bulowein 
left  her  knife  and  a  silver  sheath  behind  her,  upon  which  her 
name  was  engraved  at  length. 


32  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

blandishments,  and  my  blood  boiled  with  indignation  at 
the  sight, — and  that  even  after  he  had  endeavoured 
in  vain  to  undermine  her  honour,  and  prevail  upon  her 
to  receive  a  friend  of  his  as  her  favoured  lover  to  pro- 
vide an  heir  to  his  throne !  and  even  after  he  had 
solemnly  divorced  her,  and  she  was  become  the  wife 
of  Baron  Muncke— no  longer  his  Queen  but  his  subject  ! 
But     to    return  :     Louisa     Ulrica,    unhappy   in    the 

"  On  the  29th  of  July,  the  Marshal  of  her  palace,  Ivan  Nilson, 
returned  from  Stromsholm,  and  enquired  what  the  Queen-Dowager 
was  about.  The  chaplain,  the  Rev.  M.  Tanck,  replied,  '  God  alone 
knows  how  that  is :  when  I  performed  divine  service,  and  prayed 
and  sung  outside  her  door,  she  rejoined,  and  sung  within  so  as  to  be 
heard,  and  all  who  were  with  her  inside  joined  chorus ;  but  now 
when  I  sing  without,  I  am  not,  as  usual,  answered  by  any  one 
from  within.'  The  Marshal's  lady  said,  '  My  chamber  is  under  the 
Queen's,  and  I  hear  no  one  walk  overhead ;  God  knows  if  she  be 
sick,  or  how  it  is  with  her.'  Then  they  went  and  knocked  hard 
at  the  door  of  the  ante-room ;  but  finding  that  no  one  answered, 
they  broke  open  the  door,  and  there  stood  Her  Majesty's  chests, 
trunks,  drawers,  and  cabinets  all  open,  and  the  keys  therein,  but 
all  completely  empty  ;  she  had  taken  all  her  plate,  trinkets,  jewels, 
and  also  the  wedding  state-bed,  which  the  King  her  husband  of 
glorious  memory  had  caused  to  be  made  for  her,  that  cost  three 
thousand  dollars ;  she  left  behind  eight  silver  keys,  and  other 
articles  of  inferior  value.  About  eight  years  after  this  event,  the 
Queen-Dowager,  Maria  Eleonora,  was  fetched  back  to  Sweden  in 
a  line-of-battle  ship,  commanded  by  Admiral  Eric  Ryning,  The 
Counsellor  of  State,  Eric  Gyllenstjerna,  was  also  sent  on  board 
the  same  ship  with  Admiral  Ryning  to  conduct  Her  Majesty  home." 

M.  Ekholm,  in  his  "Critical  and  Historical  Essays  relative 
to  the  History  and  Language  of  Sweden,"  3rd  collection,  p.  195, 
has  introduced  a  narrative  of  this  transaction — published  1760. 
The  interest  of  this  narrative  is  diminished  by  the  want  of  ex- 
planation as  to  the  motives  which  impelled  the  Queen  to  adopt  so 
extraordinary  an  expedient  as  flight ;  or  what  induced  her  to 
return.  When  she  fled,  her  daughter,  Queen  Christina,  was  only 
fourteen  years  of  age,  consequent!}   in  her  minority. — Editor. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  33 

secret  vices  of  her  sons,  particularly  Gustavus,  and 
Duke  Charles  of  Sodermanland  (now  Charles  XIII.), 
thought  herself  comparatively  happy  in  the  affection- 
ate regards  of  an  only  daughter,  the  Princess  Sophia 
Albertina.  She  was  indeed  a  charming  woman,  and 
worthy  of  a  different  fate  !  It  was  the  lot  of  this  lovely 
and  amiable  Princess  to  possess  a  heart  full  of  sen- 
sibility, which  even  the  formalities  of  Royalty  could  not 
extinguish.  Many  princely  suitors,  some  of  them  Sove- 
reigns, sought  her  hand,  but  not  feeling  any  affection 
for  either,  she  nobly  declared  she  would  rather  forego 
her  rank  and  title  and  descend  from  the  palace  to 
a  cottage  than  marry  a  man  she  could  not  love. 
Such  was  the  propriety  of  her  demeanour,  that  the 
tongue  of  calumny,  which  so  much  delights  in  endeavour- 
ing to  sully  the  fame  of  high-born  and  beautiful  ladies, 
had  not  even  breathed  upon  her  virgin  fame.  At  length 
the  day  arrived  that  she  surrendered  her  heart  to  an 
accomplished  and  virtuous  foreigner  who  appeared  at 
her  brother's  Court.  They  were  privately  married,  and 
everything  was  ready  for  their  flight ;  but  cruel  was 
the  blow  that  awaited  the  anxious  pair :  her  husband 
suddenly  expired — expired  the  very  day  preceding  that 
appointed  for  their  flight ;  and  the  priest  who  had 
married  them,  and  an  old  domestic  who  had  witnessed 
the  ceremony,  were  nowhere  to  be  found.  In  an  instant, 
the  unhappy  Princess  was  bereft  not  only  of  her  youthful 
and  adored  husband,  but  the  means  of  proving  that  she 
was  a  wife.  The  shock  nearly  deprived  her  of  life  and 
reason  ;  but  she  survived,  and,  to  complete  her  misery, 
vol.  1  3 


34  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

found  herself  pregnant.  To  cut  the  story  short — after 
mature  deliberation,  the  widowed  bride  made  a  con- 
fidante of  the  young  and  amiable  Duchess  of  Soderman- 
land,  who  advised  her  to  conceal  her  pregnancy  ;  offer- 
ing to  take  on  herself  the  appearance,  and  adopt  as  her 
own  the  child  with  which  Albertina  was  teeming.  The 
plan  was  acceded  to ;  the  pregnancy  of  the  young 
Duchess  was  officially  announced,  and  public  thanks- 
givings ordered  in  the  churches  of  Sweden.1  The 
cannon  are  said  to  have  been  loaded  that  were  intended 
to  celebrate  her  happy  delivery,  when  an  event  took 
place  that  spoiled  the  well-conducted  project  of  the 
two  exalted  females,  and,  according  to  the  author  of 
the  work  just  alluded  to,  "  Put  the  King  as  well  as  the 
Duke  out  of  humour," — an  expression  that  strongly 
corroborates  the  conjecture  that,  whoever  was  the  father 
of  the  expected  infant,  the  King  and  the  Duke  were 
both  privy  to  the  intended  adoption  of  Albertina's 
child.  The  immediate  cause  of  its  failure  was,  that 
the  Queen-Dowager  (and  thereto  hangs  a  tale  full 
of  the  marvellous)  suspected  the  reality  of  the  assumed 
pregnancy.  Knowing  that  the  Duke  could  not  have 
been  its  cause,  and  believing  the  Duchess  to  be  a 
virtuous  woman,  she  guessed  at  the  fraud  and  its  object 
that  was  already  so  far  advanced.  Louisa  Ulrica  was 
bold,  firm,  open  and  decisive  in  her  conduct  and  resolves. 
Without  regard  to  private  feelings,  she  was  bent  on 
defeating  this  project,  which  she  threatened  to  expose. 
Despotic  as  he  was,  Gustavus  could  not  avert  the  blow. 

i   Vide  "Characters  and  Anecdotes  of  the   Court  of   Sweden," 
vol.  i.,  p.  7. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  35 

The  Friherre  Benzelstjerna,  one  of  the  Secretaries  of 
State,  was  the  bearer  of  the  Queen-Dowager's  stern 
message  to  the  young  and  playful  Duchess,  which 
could  not  be  parried.  "  Well,"  said  she,  "  if  it  is  not 
at  present,  it  may  occur  hereafter  "  ;  and  the  same  day 
it  was  announced  that  the  Duchess  had,  from  in- 
experience, mistaken  her  situation  and  been  deceived 
by  a  "  false  conception  !  " 

Meantime,  the  Princess  Albertina  was  secretly  de- 
livered of  a  fine  female  child,  which — reared  as  the 
posthumous  daughter  of  a  burgher  of  Stockholm, 
under  the  protection  of  its  accomplished  and  amiable 
mother — is    known    in    the    Court    of    the    Princess    as 

Mademoiselle    F .      Whilst    these   stratagems    were 

formed  and  frustrated,  year  after  year  rolled  away  and 
still  Sophia  Magdalena  remained  a  "  mourning  bride." 
Though  commanded  by  the  King  to  hold  levees  and 
receive  the  Nobility,  though  gratified  with  splendid 
dresses,  and  attended  with  the  utmost  pomp  whenever 
she  went  out  from  her  palaces,  there  was  still  a 
void  in  the  heart  that  neither  power  nor  pageantry 
could  supply.  She  had  been  eleven  years  the  wife  of 
a  man  who  had  never  yet  consummated  his  marriage  ! 
But  this  strange  story  runs  away  with  me.  I  am 
losing  sight  of  the  lovely  Matilda  and  the  reflections 
into  which  her  melancholy  destiny  hurried  me,  and 
describing  events  too  minutely  for  a  sketch  like  this. 
Suffice  it,  therefore,  to  say  that  the  false  and  perjured 
King,  finding  that  an  heir  was  necessary  to  give  sta- 
bility to  the   government  he  had  formed,  adopted   the 

3—2 


36  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

extraordinary  expedient  of  proposing  to  his  wife  that 
she  should  admit  his  bosom  friend,  Major  Muncke,  to 
her  bed  !  Such  is  the  odious  complexion  of  this 
assertion,  that  those  happy  people  who  have  been 
reared  where  the  decencies  of  life  are  more  prized  than 
its  luxuries,  will  spurn  this  as  a  base  and  foul  asper- 
sion on  the  memory  of  Gustavus  III.  But  this  is 
not  the  case  ;  and  I  have  as  much  belief  in  its  truth 
as  in  the  truth  of  the  assassination  of  that  splendid 
and  depraved  Monarch. 

When  the  graceful  Abelard  wooed  the  lovely  and 
yielding  Elosia,  the  suit  of  that  eloquent  lover  could 
not  have  been  urged  with  more  ardour  than  this 
strange  mortal  sued  for  his  own  dishonour.  With 
tears  suborned,  and  sighs  that  seemed  to  rise  from  a 
heart  oppressed  with  grief  and  shame,  he  confessed 
that  physical  inability  alone  had  kept  him  from  her 
bed ;  and  to  bring  her  the  readier  over  to  his  vile 
ends,  he  insinuated  that  his  own  mother  wras  the  wilful 
source  of  his  misfortune.  Although  it  is  hard  to 
believe  he  was  not  privy  to  the  expedient  that  was 
frustrated  by  the  masculine  firmness  of  his  mother,  the 
insidious  King  imputed  it  to  the  ambition  of  the  Duke 
and  Duchess  of  Sodermanland,  and  strove  hard  to 
impress  her  with  the  belief  that  the  stability  of  his 
throne  depended  on  her  consent.  He  offered  her  a 
"letter  of  licence"  and  to  be  sworn  to  eternal  secrecy. 
The  Queen,  however,  knew  the  dissembler  too  well  to 
trust  her  honour  in  his  keeping.  Covered  with  blushes, 
trembling  from  the  force  of  conflicting  passions,  almost 
unable    to    speak,    and    not    daring    to    trust    herself   to 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  37 

look  at  the  recreant  King,  she  made  signs  for  him  to 
retire  and  afford  her  time  to  recall  her  agitated  spirits. 
When  next  they  met,  the  Queen  mustered  courage  to 
tell  him  that  having  duly  considered  his  extraordinary 
proposal,  she  thought  he  ought  first  to  divorce  her, 
and  then  marry  her  to  Major  Muncke,  adding,  if  his 
Majesty  pleased  so  to  do,  she  was  willing  to  meet  his 
wishes ;  if  not,  the  religious  and  moral  principles  in 
which  she  had  been  reared,  and  of  which  she  had  never 
lost  sight,  would  for  ever  prevent  her  acceding  upon  any 
other  terms.  The  King,  unable  to  move  her  from  these 
terms,  yielded  with  a  good  grace.  To  give  a  colour  to 
the  reconciliation  of  this  singular  pair,  it  was  given 
out  that  whilst  the  King  was  in  Finland,  by  means  of 
a  young  minion  named  Rosenstein,  he  discovered  that 
his  Queen,  whom  he  had  accused  of  being  deficient  in 
love  and  tenderness,  was  the  reverse  of  all  this,  and 
distractedly  fond  of  her  beloved  Gustavus.  My  fair 
countrywoman,  Madame ,  who  was  paid  suffi- 
ciently well  to  console  her  for  the  execrations  of  a  people 
she  never  liked,  or  intended  to  see  again,  was  accused, 
and  pleaded  guilty  to  the  charge,  of  having  falsely  tran- 
scribed the  Queen's  letters,  of  omitting  all  the  tender 
sentences  they  contained,  and  foisting  upon  the  generous 
and  deceived  Monarch  her  own  base  language.  In  short, 
the  lawyers  and  parsons  made  quick  work  of  the  divorce ; 
and  on  that  day,  when  the  good  people  of  Stockholm 
were  invited  to  meet  the  King  and  Queen  in  Riddarlolm 
Church,  to  return  to  God  their  solemn  thanks  for  this 
happy  reconciliation,  on  that  day,  and  in  that  church,  in 
the    Royal    pew,    the   ex-Queen    who    had    been    legally 


38  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

divorced  was  solemnly  married  to  Major  Muncke. 
The  most  brilliant  festivities  followed;  and,  from  this 
pseudo  marriage  that  extraordinary  being,  Gustavus  IV., 
Adolphus,  owes  his  existence.1 

1  This  circumstance  is  well  known  to  the  principal  statesmen  of 
Europe,  and  was  the  real  cause  of  his  abdication  in  1809. 

As  a  lasting  monument  of  his  friendship  and  affection  for 
Major  Muncke,  the  King  gave  the  name  of  "  Muncken's  Backen  " 
(Muncke's  Hill),  to  a  huge  mass  of  naked  granite,  that  was  left 
in  its  pristine  state  when  the  costly  garden  at  Drottningholm  was 
constructed.  The  space  of  ground  was  covered  with  huge  rocks,  on 
a  barren,  unwholesome  morass.  The  rocks  of  granite  were  blown 
up,  the  morass — at  an  enormous  expense — was  underdrained,  and  the 
surface,  made  smooth  and  level,  was  covered  with  a  fine  vegetable 
soil.  To  denote  its  native  wildness,  one  hideous  mass  lifted  its  naked 
head  in  this  wilderness  of  sweet  flowers  and  shrubs.  It  was  a  good 
idea,  and  had  a  fine  effect.  Soon  after  the  birth  of  this  pseudo 
Crown  Prince  (now  Count  Gottorp,  late  Gustavus  IV.),  this  rock 
was  wholly  covered  with  earth,  and  made  into  a  regular  circular  emi- 
nence, covered  with  greensward  and  planted  on  basket  beds  with 
shrubs  and  flowers.  Upon  its  crest,  on  a  fine  pedestal  of  Swedish 
granite,  stands  a  group  in  Carrara  marble,  large  as  life,  represent- 
ing Gustavus  III.  and  his  friend  Muncke  in  the  characters  of 
Castor  and  Pollux.  This  piece  of  statuary  (which  is  not  to  be 
compared  with  Sergei's  or  Canova's  works,)  was  executed  in  Italy, 
having  been  ordered  by  the  King,  in  1783,  when  on  his  travels  in 
that  country.  The  figure  to  the  right  was  intended  for  the  King  ; 
that  to  the  left  for  Muncke.  The  savage  rock,  once  naked  and 
unproductive,  now  decorated  by  flowers  and  shrubs  and  shaded 
by  beautiful  trees,  were,  perhaps,  intended  as  symbols,  first  of  the 
Queen's  sterility,  and  next  of  her  fruitfulness  when  committed  to 
the  hands  of  Count  Muncke. 

A  third  source  of  strong  corroborative  evidence  exists  in  the 
mysterious  "  Iron  Chest,"  mentioned  by  Sir  John  Carr  and  other 
northern  travellers,  which  is  preserved  in  a  room  belonging  to  the 
library  of  the  University  of  Upsala,  whether  inviolately,  after  the 
Revolution  of  1809,  may  be  questioned.  The  contents  of  this  chest 
are  known  to  few  who  are  now  living  (except  it  has  been  opened 
as  before  observed).  Sir  John  Carr,  with  his  usual  sagacity,  says: 
"Conjecture  and  expectation  frequently  hover  over  this  chest,  which 


COURTS    OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  39 

Such  has  been  the  fate  of  the  sister  of  Christian, 
our  imbecile  King.  She  is  yet  acknowledged  as 
Queen  of  Sweden.  What  has  become  of  Muncke  I 
know  not.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  stood 
bound  by  the  strongest  obligations  never  to  claim  the 
privilege  of  a  husband  after  the  purpose  was  answered 
for  which  he  was  appointed  ;  and  that  he  was  not,  in 
any  way,  to  divulge  to  the  children  whom  the  Queen 
might  have  by  him,  that  Gustavus  III.  was  not  their 
sire ;  nor,  in  the  event  of  the  King's  death,  ever  to  claim 
his  supposed  widow.  All  these  very  hard  conditions 
he  probably  fulfilled.  I  believe  that  Muncke  is  a  Fin- 
lander  by  birth  ;  and  I  have  heard  that  he  is  now 
residing  there  on  an  estate  bestowed  upon  him  by 
Gustavus  III.  Other  accounts  say  that  he  has  been 
assassinated  ; — which  of  these  accounts  be  the  truth,  or 
if  either  account  be  correct,  I  am  unable  to  determine. 


will  one  day  unfold  to  Sweden  much  interesting  memoir  and  literary 
treasure."  It  would  be  presumption  to  speak  too  decidedly  on  so 
doubtful  a  point,  but  my  opinion  is  grounded  on  that  of  the  patriots 
of  Sweden  who  effected  the  Revolution  of  1809,  which  drove  a 
weak  and  imbecile  tyrant  from  his  throne :  that  is,  that  this  chest 
contains  the  secret  history  of  the  birth  of  that  Prince.  The  chest  was 
ordered  to  be  kept  unopened  till  half-a-century  had  expired ;  and 
there  is  no  proof  that  even  then  it  was  directed  that  its  secret 
should  be  made  public.  The  chest  is  large ;  has  three  locks  and 
keys,  and  was  sealed  by  the  present  King  when  he  was  appointed 
Regent ;  by  the  University  great  seal ;  and  by  the  Ryks  Drotts, 
or  Lord  Chancellor,  of  Sweden.  The  keys  were  deposited,  one 
with  the  Sovereign  for  the  time  being ;  one  with  the  Ryks  Drotts, 
or  Lord  Chancellor ;  and  the  third  with  the  University  of  Upsala. 
So  many  formalities  and  precautions  would  scarcely  have  been 
taken  to  preserve  the  Royal  manuscripts  if  they  were  merely  of 
a  literary  nature. —Editor. 


40  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

As  to  the  personal  character  of  this  pseudo  son  of 
Gustavus,  he  is  said  to  possess  no  great  nor  splendid 
quality;  but,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  stubborn,  penu- 
rious and  mean  in  his  disposition,  irritable  in  his 
temper,  and  a  complete  bigot  in  matters  of  religion.1 

But  to  return  to  our  Danish  Queen  Matilda.  That 
atrocious  woman,  Juliana  Maria,  failing  in  her  hellish 
projects  against  the  life  of  her  Royal  step-son,  the 
crafty,  cruel  and  unrelenting  woman  insidiously  and 
but  too  successfully  endeavoured  to  enfeeble  both  his 
mind  and  body ;  thereby  to  render  him  not  only  unfit 
to  rule  a  nation,  but  physically  unable  to  leave  an  heir 
of  his  own  begetting  to  the  Crown  of  Denmark.  A 
mode  of  destruction  more  cruel  than  any  of  her  former 
attempts  to  destroy  the  unfortunate  Prince  in   his  days 

i  It  is  recorded  that  this  young  King  put  the  greatest  public 
affront  on  Catherine  II.  that  she  ever  sustained,  in  rejecting  her 
fair  and  youthful  grand-daughter  when  the  Court  was  assembled 
in  grand  gala,  and  the  bride  was  waiting  him  at  the  altar ;  and  this 
upon  a  point  of  Religion  that  was  not  of  vital  importance  to  either 
part)',  and  was  capable  of  arrangement.  He  was  right  in  resisting 
the  encroaching  power  of  Catherine,  but  surely  he  might  have  done 
it  in  a  way  less  offensive  to  her  innocent  grand-daughter.*  This 
affront,  however,  has  since  been  too  fully  avenged  by  the  triumph  of 
Russian  power  in  wresting  Finland  from  the  feeble  hand  of  Gustavus  ; 
and  the  present  Emperor  Alexander  may  be  said  to  have  rejected 
Frederica  Dorothea,  the  beautiful,  virtuous  and  divorced  Queen  of 
this  eccentric  Prince,  who,  at  an  early  period  of  her  life,  was,  with 
her  sister,  actually  sent  from  Baden  to  St.  Petersburg  for  examina- 
tion and  selection.  What  base  subserviency  in  the  Grand  Duke  of 
Baden  !  It  is  not  singular  that  our  Danish  commentator  on  the 
unhappiness  of  Royal  females,  seized  on  this  disgusting  picture  of 
Regal  meanness. — Editor. 

*  Full  particulars  of  this  occurrence  are  to  be  found  in  another  of  our  series 
of  Court  Memoirs,  viz.,  "The  Secret  History  of  the  Court  of  St.  Petersburg,"  i  vol. 
— Publishers'  Note. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  41 

of  childhood  and  adolescence.  I  have  read  in  the 
interesting  letters  of  the  Countess  d'Aunoy  that  the 
mother  of  Charles  II.  of  Spain  wilfully  and  wickedly 
destroyed  the  intellectual  and  physical  powers  of  that 
Prince  to  prolong  her  own  reign  as  Queen  Regent. 
"  The  whole  life  of  that  wretched  being  (Charles)  from 
his  cradle  to  his  grave,"  says  the  Countess  d'Aunoy, 
"  might  be  termed  one  continual  malady.  The  forma- 
tion of  his  mind  was,  of  the  two,  more  infirm  than 
that  of  his  body ;  and  he  was  kept  by  the  Queen- 
Mother  in  such  profound  ignorance,  that  he  knew 
neither  the  names,  situation,  nor  the  extent  of  the 
provinces  and  cities  that  composed  the  kingdom  of 
Spain.  When  he  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age  he 
happened  to  exhibit  some  faint  sparks  of  intellectual 
energy;  when,  alarmed  at  the  prognostication,  the 
wicked  wretch  is  accused  of  having  caused  some  per- 
nicious drugs  to  be  mixed  with  his  chocolate,  the 
effect  of  which  was  to  stupefy  and  debilitate  the  under- 
standing." In  one  point,  this  infamous  mother  went 
beyond  Juliana  Maria  in  crime,  because  it  was  her 
own  child  whom  she  thus  cruelly  devoted  to  destruc- 
tion ;  and  in  the  case  of  the  Queen-Dowager,  she  was 
only  a  step-mother  to  the  being  whose  destruction  she 
sought  with  unwearied  perseverance  and  unrelenting 
hatred.1      After    this    loner    and    tortuous    digression    I 


1  Transactions  black  as  these  are  by  no  means  rare  occurrences 
in  Regal  courts,  although  from  the  shackled  state  of  the  Press  in 
despotic  monarchies,  and  the  rank  and  power  of  the  delinquents, 
they  are  not,  as  they  ought  to  be,  held  up  to  universal  obloquy  and 
execration.     The  Electress  Dorothea,  step-mother  to  Frederick  I.  of 


42  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

shall  once  more  return  to  the  eventful  and  tragical 
history  of  Queen  Matilda,  from  her  arrival  on  our 
shores  to  her  melancholy  exile  to  Zell,  where  she  died. 


Prussia,  was  accused  of  having  attempted  to  poison  that  Prince ; 
failing  in  which  design,  she  strove  to  deprive  him  of  his  inheritance 
in  favour  of  her  own  son,  by  unjustly  exciting  the  resentment  of  his 
father  against  him.  The  scandalous  conduct  of  the  Queen  of 
Charles  VI.  with  Godoy,  the  ci-devant  life-guardsman  of  Madrid, 
might  be  quoted  as  additional  proof  that  the  possession  of  a  Regal 
Crown  is  no  preventive  against  the  worst  of  propensities. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  43 


CHAPTER    IV 

Matilda's  reception  in  Denmark — The  machinations  of  Juliana 
Maria — Weakness  and  depravity  of  Christian  VII. — His 
motive  for  setting  out  on  his  travels — His  adventures  in 
Amsterdam  and  London. 

It  was  neither  the  powerful  connections,  the  high 
lineage,  nor  the  ample  dowry  which  this  young  and 
interesting  Princess  brought  to  my  country  that  com- 
manded universal  admiration  and  esteem ;  but  her 
youth,  her  innocence,  her  beauty,  and  her  modest, 
retiring,  graceful  demeanour  that  fascinated  all  who 
saw  her.  The  venerable  mother  of  Frederick  V.1  could 
not  suppress  emotions  tainted  by  envy  on  beholding 
the  lovely  girl  ;  but  the  enmity  of  Sophia  Magdalena 
was  harmless  compared  to  the  intense  malice  that 
glowed  in  the  bosom  of  Juliana,  whose  heart  was  torn 
by  hatred,  jealousy,  and  disappointed  ambition  at  the 
moment  when,  with  well-dissembled  smiles  and  flatter- 
ing blandishments,  she  hailed  Matilda  as  the  Consort 
of  Christian  VII.  This  task,  however  painful,  she  per- 
formed in  her  best  style,  and  if  her  malice  had  not 
been  as  much    a    matter  of  notoriety  as  her  ambition, 


1  Sophia  Magdalena,  Consort  to  Christian  VI.,  was  then  sixty- 
six  years  of  age.     Juliana  Maria  was  in  her  thirty-eighth  year. 


44  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Matilda  might  have  believed  she  should  find  an  affec- 
tionate friend,  a  second  mother,  in  Juliana  Maria,  to 
whose  odious  machinations  the  vices  of  the  young 
Monarch  were  principally  owing.  This  cruel  step- 
mother artfully  masked  all  her  own  ambitious  desires  of 
reigning,  under  the  plausible  pretext  of  regard  for  the 
welfare  of  her  son.  But  Juliana's  known  qualities  for- 
bid the  belief  that  it  was  for  his  sake  she  meditated 
and  committed  so  many  black  crimes.  The  intellectual 
faculties  of  Christian  VII.,  until  eclipsed  by  excessive 
debauchery,  were  strong  and  brilliant ;  her  son's,  on 
the  contrary,  were  dull  and  feeble ;  hence,  this  artful 
woman  knew  that  if  she  could  procure  the  Crown  for 
her  son,  the  sovereignty  would  be  all  her  own. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  with  precision  if  Matilda  ever 
felt  real  affection  towards  her  husband.  It  is,  how- 
ever, but  too  certain  that  he  had  little  regard  for  her, 
for  he  continued  secretly  to  visit  the  same  impure 
haunts  of  loose  women  to  which  he  resorted  before 
marriage.  And  here  again  the  malice  of  his  implacable 
enemy  wTas  too  successfully  played  off,  for  those  licen- 
tious courtiers  whom  she  purposely  placed  in  his  way 
used  all  their  efforts  to  detach  him  from  his  young 
bride,  finding  fault  with  her  complexion,  her  manners, 
and  omitting  no  opportunity  of  exciting  indifference  in 
hopes  of  its  soon  becoming  confirmed  disgust. 

The  conduct  of  Matilda,  on  her  arrival  at  Denmark, 
was  such  as  left  no  room  but  for  approbation — pos- 
sessing much  of  that  hauteur  by  which  her  family  are 
distinguished,  she  certainly  did  not  forget  the  dig- 
nity   of    her    station.      Whilst    the    King,    descending 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AM)     DENMARK  45 

from  his  rank,  made  companions  of  his  gay  young 
courtiers,  Matilda  exacted  all  the  homage  from  the 
ladies  of  her  Court  to  which  her  exalted  station  entitled 
her.  She  seemed  more  fond  of  the  show  and  pageantry 
of  Royalty  than  desirous  of  political  influence.  Notwith- 
standing the  vices  of  her  husband,  as  he  had  a  large 
fund  of  good  nature  and  generosity  she  might  have 
avoided  the  calamity  that  too  soon  overtook  her,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  intrigues  of  conflicting  Nobles  emu- 
lous for  power  ;  and  the  ceaseless  intrigues  of  Juliana 
Maria.  The  acclamations  that  resounded  wherever 
Matilda  appeared  in  public  smote  the  envious  heart 
of  Juliana  as  the  death-knell  of  her  ambitious  hopes  of 
securing  the  Crown  of  Denmark  for  Prince  Frederick, 
who  was  then  in  his  thirteenth  year.  Still,  she  did  not 
relinquish  her  darling  project.  Her  malice  ever  fertile, 
her  hopes  ever  buoyant,  impelled  her  to  pursue  her 
destined  victims.  Even  amidst  the  enthusiastic  popu- 
larity of  Matilda's  first  reception  in  the  colossal  Palace 
of  Christiansborg,  the  wicked  step-mother  was  secretly 
preparing  means  whereby  she  hoped  to  effect  the  des- 
truction of  the  hated  pair,  on  whose  youth,  levity  and 
inexperience  her  impious  hopes  of  their  ruin  were 
founded.  She  was  overwhelmed  by  secret  grief  when 
the  marriage  between  young  Christian  and  Matilda  was 
consummated  ;  but  then,  one  great  source  of  hope  re- 
mained in  the  ravages  which  an  excessive  indulgence 
in  illicit  pleasures  had  made  on  his  constitution,  and 
inexpressible  was  the  mental  torture  she  underwent 
when  the  pregnancy  of  the  young  bride  was  officially 
announced.       Her    hopes   were    blasted    by    the    tidings 


46  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

that  filled  all  Denmark  with  exultation,  for  nothing 
was  more  dreaded  by  the  cultivated  and  liberal  part 
of  the  community  than  seeing  her  own  son  ascend  the 
throne.  For  upwards  of  two  months  she  buried  herself, 
as  it  were,  in  her  palace  at  Fredensborg  —  but  which 
edifice  might,  with  more  propriety,  have  been  termed 
"  Pandemonium,"  from  the  iniquitous  designs  of  its 
owner  and  her  agents.  To  complete  her  dismay,  on 
the  28th  of  January,  1768,  the  thunder  of  a  thousand 
pieces  of  ordnance,  from  the  forts  and  fleets  of  Zealand, 
proclaimed  the  safe  delivery  of  the  young  Queen  and 
the  birth  of  a  male  child. 

Juliana  Maria  was  never  popular;  and  when  her 
notorious  partiality  in  favour  of  her  son,  and  her  secret 
attempts  to  set  aside  the  heir-apparent  to  her  husband's 
throne,  were  known  in  Denmark,  she  became  an  object 
of  general  dislike.  Everyone  foresaw  that  if  Christian 
VII.  died  without  male  issue,  this  ambitious  woman 
would  exercise  the  sovereign  power  in  Denmark  in  the 
name  of  her  son  Frederick.  These  considerations 
operated  with  powerful  and  genial  influence  in  favour 
of  Matilda.  Juliana  would,  perhaps,  have  expired  of 
chagrin,  amidst  the  blaze  of  illuminated  palaces  and 
the  shouts  of  applauding  multitudes,  had  it  not  been 
communicated  to  her  that  Christian  was  weary  of  his 
bride,  and  that  his  constitution  had  been  so  deeply 
impaired  by  his  debaucheries  as  left  but  little  room 
for  her  to  fear  he  would  ever  beget  another  child.  As 
to  the  infant  just  born,  it  was  of  a  slight  frame,  and 
rather  feeble  and  sickly  than  robust,  and  therefore  the 
more  liable  to  fall  a  prey  to  some  of  the  many  serious 


COURTS     OK     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  47 

maladies  to  which  infants  are  subject.  On  such  con- 
tingencies she  supported  an  existence  that  was  scarcely 
tolerable ;  with  such  fuel  she  strove  to  feed  the  expiring 
embers  of  her  hopes  of  ruling  Denmark  in  the  name 
of  her  son. 

The  imbecility  of  the  worn-out  boy,  his  corrupted 
morals  and  aversion  to  his  wife,  were  the  real  sources 
of  that  expensive  tour  which,  a  few  months  after  the 
birth  of  his  son,  Christian  VII.  made  through  Holland, 
Great  Britain,  France  and  Germany.  The  motive 
assigned  was  to  acquire  wisdom,  to  perfect  himself  in 
the  art  of  governing,  and  gather,  from  a  personal  review 
of  foreign  institutions,  materials  for  the  improvement  of 
those  established  in  Denmark,  or  suggestions  for  new 
ones.  He  visited  William  V.,  then  recently  married 
to  a  haughty  and  tyrannical  princess  of  Prussia,  whose 
pride  and  insolence,  in  a  few  years  time,  involved  her 
weak,  good-natured  husband  in  a  contest  with  the 
burghers  of  Amsterdam  and  other  cities  that  led  to 
the  invasion  of  Holland  by  the  Prussian  army  in  1787, 
and,  ultimately,  to  the  expulsion  of  the  Princes  of  the 
House  of  Orange.  It  has  ever  been  my  opinion  that 
this  little  Republic  contained  more  useful  institutions 
than  all  the  Monarchies  of  Europe  put  together.  On 
those  our  young  King  had  but  little  time  for  observa- 
tion and  reflection  ;  and  the  want  of  superior  intellect 
in  his  cousin,  William  V.,  rendered  it  impossible  to 
derive  useful  instruction  in  the  art  of  governing  from 
that  source,  who  was  himself  governed  by  his  wife 
and  the  Cabinets  of  Berlin  and  St.  James's.  The 
time    he    passed   there   was    consumed    by  a  succession 


48  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

of  splendid  feasts  and  delightful  excursions  by  land 
and  water.  Whilst  he  was  in  Amsterdam,  he  gave 
Count  Bernstorff  and  all  his  suite  the  slip  ;  and,  dis- 
guised as  an  English  sailor,  went  with  Count  Holcke 
to  the  Rondeel,  a  temple  consecrated  to  Cyprian  traffic, 
where  he  supported  his  assumed  character  with  great 
spirit  in  every  point  save  one.  Not  content  with  this 
frolic,  they  bent  their  steps  to  the  Pyl  (arrow),  a  noted 
brothel  in  the  Pyl  Steeg,  where  a  bevy  of  mercenary 
beauties  crowded  round  the  strangers,  one  of  whom, 
deceived  by  the  fair  complexion  of  our  King  and  his 
effeminate  appearance,  accused  him  of  being  a  lady 
come  in  disguise  to  witness  their  mysteries,  and  she 
was  proceeding  to  disrobe  her  temporary  lover,  when 
she  perceived  a  rich  silken  vest,  and  a  star  and  blue 
riband  beneath  his  sailor's  jacket,  and  at  the  same 
moment  his  flaxen  locks  fell  about  his  shoulders.  In 
a  moment  he  was  recognised  as  Count  de  Travendahl. 
The  youthful  King  of  Denmark,  perceiving  he  was  de- 
tected past  retrieval,  flung  a  handful  of  ducats  on  the 
floor,  and  whilst  the  girls  were  scrambling  for  the 
golden  prize,  the  King  and  Count  Holcke  ran  down 
stairs,  leaped  over  the  hatch  door  and,  making  good 
use  of  their  heels,  avoided  all  pursuers. 

From  Holland,  the  gay  and  giddy  youth  proceeded 
by  Antwerp  and  Brussels  to  Calais,  where  a  Royal 
yacht,  the  Mary,  Captain  Cambell,  awaited  his  arrival 
to  convey  this  brother-in-law  of  George  III.  to  Dover. 
One  of  his  chamberlains  proceeded  as  an  avaut  courier 
to    St.   James's.1  to  announce  the  arrival   of  the   Royal 

1  Christian  VII.  was  lodged  in  those  apartments  in  the  Stable- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  49 

Dane,  and  see  that  the  accommodations  were  suited  to 
his  master's  taste.  A  train  of  Royal  carriages  and 
domestics  were  sent  down  to  Dover  to  convey  the 
King  and  his  numerous  suite  to  London  ;  but  such 
was  his  impatience  to  see  the  famed  metropolis  of 
Great  Britain,  that  he  declined  those  sumptuous  vehi- 
cles and  travelled  by  post-chaise.  Having  heard  that 
the  Clergy  and  Corporation  of  Canterbury  and  Rochester 
intended  to  receive  him  with  all  possible  pomp,  he  was 


yard  that  are  now  occupied  by  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  and  where 
the  King  of  Prussia  was  lodged  when  he  visited  this  metropolis 
in  the  summer  of  1S14.  When  Count  Holcke,  a  gay,  extravagant, 
dissipated  young  nobleman,  first  saw  the  exterior  of  the  place, 
he  exclaimed,  "  By  God,  this  will  never  do  !  this  is  not  fit  to  lodge 
a  Christian  in  !  "  When  he  saw  the  interior,  the  Count  was  more 
dissatisfied  —  an  impression  not  to  be  wondered  at;  the  extreme 
splendour  of  Christiansborg  Palace  being  fresh  in  his  memory,  com- 
pared with  which  St.  James's  appeared  mean  and  insignificant.  The 
Danish  Monarch  hired  his  horses  of  a  man  named  Baker,  who 
died  about  the  year  1797 — a  master  hackney-coachman  in  Bond 
Street.  This  person  drove  the  King's  carriage  in  his  peregrinations 
about  the  metropolis.  He  used  to  take  a  pride  in  showing  him- 
self to  those  females  who  seemed  most  desirous  to  see  his  Royal 
person.  From  some  of  these,  who  supposed  he  could  not  under- 
stand them,  he  occasionally  met  with  coarse  compliments — such 
as:  "What  a  little  Jack-a-dandy!"  "What  a  squinny  thing  it 
is!  "  &c, — all  of  which  he  took  in  perfect  good  humour.  One  day, 
as  his  coach  drove  to  the  door  of  his  residence,  a  fine-looking  girl 
burst  through  the  double  line  of  attendants,  caught  the  King  of 
Denmark  in  her  arms  as  he  leaped  from  his  carriage,  and,  kissing 
him  heartily,  said  :  "  Now  kill  me,  if  you  please  ;  I  can  die  con- 
tented since  I  have  kissed  the  prettiest  fellow  in  the  world!"  The 
King,  far  from  being  offended,  gently  disengaged  himself  from  her 
embrace,  and  ran  laughing  and  skipping  upstairs.  He  used  to 
carry  gold  coins  in  one  pocket  and  silver  in  another,  which  he 
gave  away,  often  by  handfuls,  to  those  who  attracted  his  notice. 
— Editor. 

VOL.    I  4. 


50  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

thrown  almost  in  a  passion,  not  being  at  all  partial  to 
formalities  of  any  kind  ;  and  as  to  the  Clergy  as  a 
body,  he  held  them  in  contempt  and  spoke  of  them 
with  derision.  He  said  to  Count  Bernstorff :  "  The 
last  King  of  Denmark  who  entered  Canterbury  laid 
the  city  in  ashes  and  massacred  the  inhabitants. 
Would  to  God  they  had  recollected  this,  and  would 
let  me  pass  quietly  through  their  venerable  town 
where  our  ancestors  have  committed  so  many  crimes. 
Is  it  conformable  to  etiquette  that  I  should  appear  by 
proxy  ?  If  so,  pray  let  me  proceed  to  announce  yonv 
approach,  and  be  you  my  proxy.  Really,  the  unwieldy 
pomp  and  pedantic  speeches  of  the  priests  and  the 
burghers  fill  me  with  dreadful  apprehensions.  If  this 
is  inadmissible,  and  I  must,  sooner  or  later,  undergo 
this  visitation,  may  it  not  be  deferred  till  I  return  to 
this  port  for  embarkation  ?  Believe  me,  the  thing 
would  be  infinitely  more  agreeable  and  quite  as  useful, 
and  one  ceremony  would  do  for  all."  The  Count  told 
him,  with  a  smile,  that  the  good  citizens  of  Canterbury 
would  find  less  difficulty  in  forgetting  all  the  outrages 
suffered  by  their  ancestors,  than  in  being  deprived  of 
the  honour  of  making  him  a  speech  and  kissing  his 
Royal  hand.  Finding  there  was  no  escape,  he  en- 
treated the  Count  to  intimate  beforehand  that  the 
King    had   a    mortal    antipathy    to    long   speeches. 

In  disposition,  person,  manners  and  habits,  Christian 
VII.  was  the  reverse  of  his  cousin  and  brother-in-law, 
George  III.,  whose  regularity  and  dignified  demeanour 
were  objects  of  ridicule  to  our  wild  and  giddy  King 
and   his  dissolute    associates;    and,    instead  of  this   ex- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  51 

ample  reclaiming  Christian  from  his  vicious  habits, 
he  laughed  at  him  as  a  domestic  quiz — alike  void  of 
elegance  or  spirit. 

As  the  periodical  publications  of  the  day  present  a 
faithful  detail  of  the  festivities  and  illuminations,  balls, 
concerts  and  masquerades,  military  and  nautical  specta- 
cles, and  tours  by  land  and  excursions  by  water  that 
occurred  in  England  in  honour  of  our  young  King,  and 
marked  the  popularity  he  enjoyed,  it  would  be  super- 
fluous to  go  into  those  events.  He  was  pleased  with 
the  Dutch,  but  the  English  quite  amazed  and  fascinated 
the  wild  and  giddy  boy.  The  dazzling  whirl  of  dissi- 
pation in  which  his  hours  were  passed  was  enough  to 
turn  the  brain  of  a  wiser  head  than  his.  Such  a  rapid 
succession  of  splendid  spectacles  was  calculated  to  pall 
the  senses,  enervate  the  frame,  and  exhaust  the  animal 
spirits  of  him  who  was  the  idol  of  the  day,  the  object 
of  all  those  joyous  scenes  of  dissipation.  Out  of  every 
twenty-four  hours,  eighteen  at  least  were  thus  employed  ! 
Where,  then,  was  the  leisure  for  the  voluptuous  youth 
to  learn  lessons  of  wisdom  and  store  his  mind  with 
knowledge  ?  Unlike  Telemachus,  this  Royal  wanderer 
had  no  mentor  but  his  own  unbridled  passions — no 
pilots  but  servile  courtiers,  who,  to  gratify  their  Sove- 
reign, flattered  every  folly,  and  sought  with  lamentable 
avidity,  even  in  the  paths  of  infamy  and  vice,  the  means 
of  making  themselves  useful  or  agreeable.1  His  errors 
and   vices   are,  however,  entitled  to  more  than  ordinary 

1  In  the  "  Walpoliana,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  94,  is  the  following  article, 
headed,  "Court  Promises"  :  "I  have  sent  the  Strawberry  Hill  Books 
to  the  Prince  of  Denmark  as  I  was  requested,  except   the  '  Anec- 

4—2 


52  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

indulgence,  so  much  pains  having  been  taken  to  eradi- 
cate the  seeds  of  virtue  from  his  mind,  and  render  him 
an  adept  in  the  exercise  of  libertinism  and  profligacy. 

Whilst  Christian  was  in  London,  he  acted  as  he  used 
to  do  in  Copenhagen,  namely,  visited  in  disguise  the 
haunts  of  courtesans  of  every  class,  from  the  purlieus 
of  St.  James's  to  the  lanes  in  Wapping  and  the  cellars 
of  St.  Giles's.  His  youthful  bride,  his  child,  his  rank,  his 
health,  all  were  forgotten.  These  nocturnal  rambles  in 
search  of  adventures  were  generally  commenced  after 
midnight,  and  after  the  King  had  been  exhausted  by 
twelve  or  fourteen  hours  spent  in  paying  or  receiving 
visits  of  ceremony,  in  promenades,  drives,  or  dances. 
He  opened  the  ball  given  at  Sion  House  by  the  Duke 
of  Northumberland,  with  his  sister-in-law,  the  Queen  of 
Great  Britain  ;  he  danced  with  the  Princesses  of  Saxe 
Gotha  and  the  Duchess  of  Ancaster,  and  within  an 
hour  after  quitting  those  scenes  of  Regal  grandeur,  he 
would  throw  off  his  gorgeous  habiliments,  disguise  his 
rank  by  the  dress  of  a  sailor,  and,  making  the  best 
of  his  way  to  St.  Giles's,  join  in  the  rude  dances  of 
labourers  and  their  lasses  with  as  much  glee  as  if  he 
had  never  moved  in  a  higher  sphere :  for  which  per- 
formance, indeed,  his  former  rambles  amongst  the 
sailors  of  Copenhagen  had  qualified  him.  Count 
Holcke,  in  the  same  disguise  as  the  King,  and  passing 
for  his  brother,  accompanied  Christian  to  these  vulgar 
haunts,    and,    on    emergencies,    protected    him — though, 

dotes  of  Painting,'  which  I  was  forced  to  buy  at  a  high  price  to 
present  to  the  King  of  Poland.  I  have  no  answer  from  Denmark, 
which  I  much  wonder  at." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  53 

to  give  the  young  King  his  due,  he  was  by  no  means 
deficient  in  personal  courage.  On  such  occasions  the 
incognito  sometimes  met  with  adventures  that  put  his 
courage  and  forbearance  to  a  severe  test.  It  happened 
in  St.  Giles's,  as  he  was  going  through  a  dance  with 
a  fine  healthy  looking  girl,  who  had  been  crying  cher- 
ries all  day  behind  a  barrow  in  the  streets,  a  gigantic 
Irishman,  her  lover,  gave  him  a  slight  blow  for  pre- 
suming too  far,  calling  him  a  foreign  puppy  and  bidding 
him  keep  his  hands  from  the  bosom  of  a  girl  that  had 
an  Irishman  for  her  protector !  In  a  moment  the  King 
returned  the  compliment  ;  when  Holcke,  stepping  be- 
tween the  combatants,  told  the  assailant  he  must  turn 
his  rage  on  him,  as  his  brother  was  no  match  for  a 
man  of  his  strength.  "  By  J ,"  exclaimed  the  Irish- 
man, "your  brother  is  a  hero;  and  I  am  sorry  I  gave 
him  the  pat.  Here's  my  hand  and  my  heart  ;  I  am 
ashamed  of  having  hit  you,  and  if  you  will  but  forgive 
me,  you  shall  bate  me  afterwards  till  you  are  tired!" 
Instinctively  the  King  and  his  magnanimous  enemy 
shook  hands  ;  gin  was  called  for ;  Christian  drank  his 
glass  to  the  girl  whose  modesty  he  had  offended,  and 
whom  he  was,  by  the  lover,  invited  to  kiss  as  the 
pledge  of  peace.  The  blow  he  had  received  called  the 
blood  into  his  fair  and  delicate  cheeks  ;  the  girl  was 
a  fine  healthy-looking  brunette,  though  a  good  deal 
tanned ;  the  wild  youth  kissed  her  cherry  lips,  and 
sliding  his  purse  full  of  gold  into  her  half-exposed 
bosom,  made  good  his  retreat,  followed  by  his  associate, 
Count  Holcke,  laughing  heartily  at  the  adventure — 
the  blow  giving  the   King  less   pain  than    the   heroism 


54  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

of  the  gigantic  Irishman  had  excited  admiration.  Such 
was  the  manner  in  which  Christian  VII.  passed  his 
time  in  London,  by  which  it  may  be  supposed  that  his 
health  was  more  deeply  impaired ;  as  to  his  morals, 
they  were  in  so  bad  a  state  before  he  left  Denmark, 
that  it  was  scarcely  possible  they  could  be  further  con- 
taminated. If  Christian  VII.  had  adopted  a  disguise 
for  the  purpose  of  enabling  him  the  better  to  observe 
the  manners  and  morals  of  the  middle  and  lower  orders 
of  British  society,  he  might  have  reaped  abundance  of 
amusement  and  much  useful  knowledge  of  the  world, 
of  which  Princes  in  general  are  lamentably  ignorant. 
But  his  motives  had  their  source  in  those  lascivious 
images  which  continually  floated  in  his  mind  and 
excited  his  passions,  whilst  every  day  he  became  less 
capable  of  enjoying  the  frail  beauties  whose  society  he 
sought,  promiscuously,  in  Cleveland  Row  or  St.  Cathe- 
rine's. Like  Tantalus,  though  from  a  different  cause, 
he  was  continually  tormented,  and  his  desire  after  women 
increased  in  proportion  as  his  strength  decayed.  Stimu- 
lants and  restoratives  were  in  constant  requisition  ;  and 
the  too-celebrated  Struensee,  who  attended  Christian 
during  this  Regal  tour,  saw,  with  unaffected  sorrow, 
the  certain  misery  he  was  drawing  upon  himself  by 
practices  alike  ruinous  to  body  and  soul.  All  his  efforts 
were  in  vain,  for  the  King,  without  restraint,  abandoned 
himself  to  those  destructive  habits,  whose  rapid  progress 
within  a  couple  of  years  left  him  nothing  but  a  shattered 
and  debilitated  hulk,  afflicted  in  the  morning  of  life  with 
all  the  imbecility  of  body  and  mind  incidental  to  extreme 
old    aire.        The    condition    of    the    King   soon    became 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  55 

known.  His  mother  -  in  -  law,  the  Princess  -  Dowager 
of  Wales,  was  amusing  herself,  one  day,  with  a  lady 
of  her  Court  (to  whom,  it  was  conjectured  for  certain 
gratifications,  Christian  had  presented  a  superb  set  of 
jewels),  by  telling  fortunes  with  cards.  Christian  said 
to    her :    "  My    dear    mother,    how    do     you    designate 

my    Majesty  in    your   paper    Court  ?  "       "  Lady   ," 

said  the  Princess,  with  an  arch  smile,  "calls  you  the 
King  of  Diamonds  !  "  "  And  what  do  you  call  Holcke  ?  " 
rejoined  the  conscious  youth,  colouring  as  he  spoke. 
"  Oh  !  by  a  title  far  more  flattering  ;  that  rake,  who  is 
so  formidable  to  careful  fathers  and  jealous  husbands, 
is  called  the  King  of  Hearts."  "  Then,  pray,  my  dear 
mamma,"  said  Christian,  piqued  by  her  ironical  allu- 
sions, "  under  which  of  the  suits  do  you  designate  Lord 
Bute  ?  "  This  repartee,  as  severe  as  it  was  unexpected, 
crimsoned  the  face  of  the  Princess,  who  soon  after- 
wards retired,  evidently  offended  with  her  incorrigible 
son-in-lawr. 

One  day,  Holcke  and  Christian  VII.  went  to  a  well- 
known  public-house,  not  far  from  the  Bank,  which  was 
much  frequented  by  Danish  and  Swedish  ship-masters. 
Here  they  listened  to  the  conversation  of  the  company, 
which,  as  might  be  expected,  was  full  of  wonder  and 
admiration  at  the  splendid  festivities  daily  given  in 
honour  of  Christian  VII.  Count  Holcke,  who  spoke 
German  in  its  purity,  asked  an  old  skipper  what  he 
thought  of  his  King,  and  if  he  were  not  proud  of  the 
honours  paid  to  him  by  the  English.  "  I  think,"  said  he, 
drily,  "  that,  with  such  counsellors  as  Count  Holcke,  if 
he  escapes  destruction  it  will  be  a  miracle."     "  Do  you 


56  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

know  Count  Holcke,  my  friend,"  said  the  incognito, 
as  you  speak  of  him  thus  familiarly  ?  "  "  Only  by 
report,"  said  the  Dane;  "but  everybody  in  Copenhagen 
pities  the  young  Queen,  attributing  the  coolness  which 
the  King  showed  towards  her,  ere  he  set  out  on  this 
voyage,  to  the  malice  of  Count  Holcke  !  "  The  con- 
fusion of  this  minion  may  be  easier  conceived  than 
described  ;  whilst  the  King,  giving  the  skipper  a  handful 
of  ducats,  bade  him  "  Speak  the  truth  and  shame  the 
devil."  The  moment  the  King  spoke  in  Danish  the 
skipper  knew  him,  and,  looking  at  him  with  love  and 
reverence,  said  in  a  low,  subdued  tone  :  "  Forgive  me, 
Sire,  but  I  cannot  forbear  my  tears  to  see  you  exposed 
to  the  temptations  of  this  vast  and  wicked  metropolis, 
under  the  pilotage  of  the  most  dissolute  nobleman  of 
Denmark."  Saying  this  he  retired,  bowing  profoundly 
to  the  King  and  casting  at  Count  Holcke  a  look  full 
of  defiance  and  reproach.  Holcke  was  a  good  deal  con- 
fused and  not  a  little  hurt,  seeing  that  the  King  in  a 
manner  countenanced  the  rudeness  of  the  skipper. 

When  the  King  returned  to  St.  James's  he  told 
Struensee  what  the  blunt  skipper  had  said  respecting 
Count  Holcke.  Struensee's  reply  was  so  ambiguous 
that  it  might  be  be  construed  or  explained  in  more 
ways  than  one ;  yet  so  obviously  reflecting  on  the 
Count  as  a  person  dangerous  to  the  King,  that  the 
latter  said  :  "I  thank  you  very  sincerely,  M.  Phy- 
sician, for  these  hints ;  I  think  I  must  transfer  your 
talents  from  the  path  you  are  now  in,  and  make 
you  a  Confcventie  Raad " l- — at  the  same  time  extend- 
1  Counsellor  of  State. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  57 

ing  his  hand  to  Struensee,  who,  bending  his  knee 
to  the  ground,  gracefully  touched  it  with  his  lips, 
saying:  "Ah,  my  King!  seeing  as  I  do  every  day 
the  treachery  of  courtiers,  and  the  slippery  ground  on 
which  favourites  stand,  wisdom  warns  me  to  shun  the 
allurements  of  ambition."  This  was  the  first  step  to- 
wards the  fall  of  Holcke  and  the  advancement  of 
Doctor  Struensee  which  followed,  but  not  immedi- 
ately. Struensee  saw  with  secret  rapture  the  brilliant 
path  opening  to  his  view,  that  rapidly  led  him  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  fortune  and  suddenly  precipitated  him 
to  the  lowest  depths  of  debasement  and  misery. 

To  give  all  the  anecdotes  that  I  have  heard  con- 
nected with  the  conduct  of  Christian  VII.  whilst  he 
stayed  in  England  would  fill  a  moderate  volume.  Some 
of  the  most  interesting  are  already  before  the  world, 
and  many  more  are  of  a  nature  unfit  for  publication. 
The  following  is,  I  believe,  original.  For  the  better 
supply  of  his  wants,  the  King  had  caused  an  unlimited 
credit  to  be  opened  with  a  very  rich  but  penurious  mer- 
chant in  the  city,  under  the  assumed  name  of  M. 
Frederickson.  Dressed  as  private  gentlemen,  the  King 
and  Count  Holcke  went  to  the  merchant's  counting- 
house  and  took  up  five  thousand  pounds.  The  mer- 
chant was  very  desirous  of  knowing  more  of  M.  Fre- 
derickson— he  even  employed  a  lad  to  watch  them  ;  but 
in  spite  of  his  dexterity,  the  strangers  got  off  unper- 
ceived.  It  happened  as  the  same  clerk  who  had  at- 
tempted to  watch  the  King  and  Count  Holcke  in  the 
city  was  passing  St.  James's  Palace,  he  saw  the  same 
gentlemen    enter,    by   a    private    door,    the    building    in 


58  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

which  the  King  resided ;  and,  asking  a  sentinel  on  duty 
if  he  knew  who  they  were,  he  was  told  they  must 
belong  to  the  Danish  King,  as  no  persons  but  his 
attendants  were  allowed  to  pass  or  repass  by  that  door ! 
Well  pleased  with  this  discovery,  the  lad,  as  soon  as 
he  got  home,  communicated  it  to  his  master,  by  whom 
it  was  told  to  his  spouse — taken  from  the  kitchen — 
and  whose  pride  and  arrogance  was  only  surpassed 
by  her  ignorance.  The  wife  urged  her  husband,  when 
next  those  strangers  called,  to  invite  them  to  tea,  she 
being  much  inclined  to  ask  them  to  show  her  the  King 
and  his  apartments  ;  and  the  husband  the  more  readily 
agreed,  as  he  conjectured  that  this  M.  Frederickson 
might  take  up  the  money  to  lend  to  the  King  on  very 
advantageous  terms.  Thus,  though  from  very  different 
causes,  the  merchant  and  his  wife  were  alike  desirous 
of  cultivating  the  acquaintance  of  the  mysterious 
stranger. 

The  next  time  M.  Frederickson  called,  he  again 
demanded  a  very  large  sum,  for  which  the  merchant 
gave  him  a  cheque  on  his  banker.  The  man  of 
business  had  barely  time  to  ask  them  to  take  a  cup 
of  tea  with  his  wife  some  afternoon  before  the  King 
and  Holcke  hastened  away,  telling  him  they  would  talk 
of  that  next  time  they  came.  The  lad  who  had  before 
tried  to  watch  them  home,  saw  them  go  into  the 
banker's,  and  thence  to  the  bank,  where  a  carriage 
was  standing,  the  door  of  which  was  opened  the  mo- 
ment the  gentlemen  appeared,  and  which  drove  off  with 
such  rapidity  that  the  boy  was  obliged  to  give  up  a 
fruitless  chase. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  59 

It  was  not  long  before  the  strangers  called  again, 
when  M.  Frederickson  drew  a  further  and  consider- 
able sum  of  money.  The  merchant  had  by  this  time 
made  up  his  mind  that  the  cash  was  for  the  use  of 
the  King,  and  that  M.  Frederickson  made  an  enormous 
profit  by  these  advances.  To  obtain  a  share  of  this 
gain  was  the  object  of  his  study;  but  the  ambition  of 
his  spouse  was  of  a  more  exalted  kind,  aspiring  to  no 
less  an  honour  than  that  of  being  presented  to  the 
King  of  Denmark  ! 

Leaving  the  Count  engaged  in  conversation  with 
his  wife,  the  merchant  took  the  King  by  the  lappel 
of  his  coat  and  led  him  a  little  distance  from  his  com- 
panion ;  and,  after  a  long  and  tedious  detail  of  the 
courses  of  exchange  being  much  against  him  and  the 
great  risk  of  going  too  deep  on  one  speculation,  asked 
the  Count  in  direct  terms  if  the  money  was  not  taken 
up  for  the  use  of  Christian  VII.  The  King  thought 
at  first  he  was  detected,  but  finding  that  not  to  be 
the  case,  and  that  the  merchant  only  wanted  to  get 
a  share  of  a  good  thing,  resolved  to  allow  him  to  pro- 
ceed, in  hopes  of  deriving  amusement  by  the  adven- 
ture ;  thence,  he  answered  in  the  affirmative.  The 
merchant's  eyes  sparkled  with  joy  at  this  confession. 
"  I  am  told,"  said  he,  "  that  Christian  VII.  is  one  of 
the  most  extravagant  and  thoughtless  young  dogs 
living,  and  cares  no  more  about  money  than  if  it  could 
be  raked  out  of  the  kennels.  Of  course,  you  make 
him  pay  handsomely  ?  Eh  !  you  understand  me  ?  " 
It  was  with  difficulty  the  King  could  restrain  from 
laughter  ;     but    he    contrived    to    avoid    this    rudeness, 


60  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

and,  as  gravely  as  he  could,  told  the  man  of  traffic  that 
he  had  drawn  a  correct  picture  of  the  King's  char- 
acter. "And  pray,  sir,"  said  he,  significantly,  "what 
is  the  nature  of  your  employment?"  "My  chief  employ- 
ment," said  Christian,  "  consists  in  dressing  the  King 
and  looking  out  for  amusements."  "Just  the  thing!" 
said  the  merchant  ;  "  then  you  are  the  more  likely  to 
have  influence.  Perhaps  you  pick  him  up  a  tit-bit 
now  and  then,  eh  ?  "  "  No  man  has  more  influence 
with  him  than  I  have ;  of  that  be  assured."  "  Then, 
of  course,  you  make  a  handsome  thing  out  of  these 
advances?"  "Upon  my  word  of  honour,  I  never  made 
a  profit  by  any  pecuniary  transaction  in  my  life." 
The  merchant's  face  lengthened  considerably,  as  he 
turned  his  small  eyes  obliquely  towards  the  King's. 
After  a  pause,  he  began  on  another  tack,  and  said  he 
supposed  he  knew  nothing  of  money-dealings,  nor  how 
to  make  the  best  of  his  capital  ?  "  Nothing  what- 
ever! "  "  How  does  the  King  dispose  of  these  sums  ?  " 
"  Gives  them  away ;  sometimes  in  coin  or  banknotes — 
oftener  in  presents  of  jewellery  or  other  precious 
articles."  "  Harkee,  sir,"  said  the  merchant,  delighted 
by  these  confessions  ;  "  would  you  not  wish  to  make 
the  best  of  your  influence  with  the  King?"  "Cer- 
tainly I  would."  "  Then,  if  you  will  suffer  me  to  in- 
struct you,  I  will  teach  you  how  to  make  fifty  per  cent, 
on  the  capital.  Let  me  buy  the  jewels  and  presents." 
Just  at  that  instant  one  of  the  King's  pages  arrived, 
and  desired  the  clerk  to  call  his  master,  who  was  never 
less  disposed  to  be  interrupted.  "  Pray,  sir,"  said 
the   messenger,   "  is  not   the   King  of  Denmark  in   your 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  6l 

house  ?  "  "  The  King  of  Denmark  ?  No,  sir  ;  there 
is  no  King  of  Denmark  ;  only  a  M.  Frederickson." 
"  That  is  the  King  !  the  son  of  Frederick  V.  ;  the 
gentleman  with  him  is  Count  Holcke,  Master  of  His 
Majesty's  Wardrobe  ;  I  am  sent  by  the  Princess- 
Dowager  of  Wales,  and  am  ordered  to  deliver  this 
letter  into  His  Majesty's  own  hands."  It  would  be  in 
vain  to  attempt  to  describe  the  stiffening  horror  that 
seized  on  the  humbled  and  mortified  son  of  traffic ; 
the  big  drops  of  sweat  poured  down  his  face,  and  every 
limb  shook.  The  page,  alarmed  at  his  agitation,  pressed 
for  an  explanation,  which,  in  the  best  manner  he  could, 
was  given.  The  page  laughed  heartily,  and  told  him 
not  to  fear  that  any  bad  result  would  follow  his  pro- 
posal to  the  King  to  help  to  cheat  himself.  It  was, 
however,  impossible  to  induce  the  man  of  business  to 
reappear.  As  soon  as  the  page,  with  all  the  reverence 
usual  on  such  occasions,  presented  the  letter  to  the 
King,  the  merchant's  wife,  who  had  been  urging  the 
Count  to  introduce  her,  was  taken  in  a  way  somewhat 
similar  to  her  husband.  But  the  Count,  in  the  most 
gentle  and  soothing  manner,  bade  her  be  comforted ; 
and,  taking  her  by  the  hand,  introduced  her  to  the 
King,  saying  to  her,  "  I  have  thus,  madam,  un- 
expectedly the  happiness  of  fulfilling  your  flattering 
wish."  This  speech  was  lost  upon  the  woman, 
whose  stupid  stare  showed  the  complete  confusion  of 
her  mind,  and  who  might  have  changed  colour  if  the 
paint  that  covered  her  cheeks  had  not  prevented  it. 
The  King,  pitying  her  confusion,  drew  from  his  own 
finger  a  valuable  ring,  which   he  would,  if  her  fingers 


62  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

had  not  been  too  large,  have  put  on  one  of  hers.  And 
desiring  her  to  tell  her  husband  that  the  King  would 
never  feel  offended  at  what  he  had  said  confidentially 
to  M.  Frederickson,  skipped  down  stairs,  laughing 
heartily  at  the  adventure,  and  regretting  that  it  had 
so  suddenly  terminated. 

Such  was  the  profusion  of  this  Prince,  that  although 
his  brother-in-law  supported  a  table  for  himself  and 
his  suite  that  cost  nearly  five  hundred  dollars  per  diem, 
he  got  rid,  in  various  ways,  of  five  times  that  sum  ; 
drawing  on  Hamburg  for  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  per  month.  This  enormous  drain 
of  specie  was  sensibly  felt  on  the  Exchange  of  Copen- 
hagen ;  and  the  more  so,  as  the  absence  of  the  King 
and  his  principal  minister  threw  a  gloom  over  the 
metropolis  and  injured  trade  and  commerce.  From 
the  sketches  already  given,  it  will  be  conceived  that 
Christian  VII.  rather  scattered  his  treasures  than 
bestowed  them  ;  that,  acting  on  the  impulse  of  the 
moment,  he  gave  without  discrimination  ;  and  it  is 
too  probable,  from  the  audacity  of  impostors  and  the 
modesty  of  suffering  merit,  that  the  former  class  of 
applicants  swallowed  by  far  the  greater  part  of  his  lar- 
gesses. But,  wherever  real  misery  met  his  eye,  his 
hand  went,  as  it  were,  spontaneously  to  his  pocket ;  and 
if  that  chanced  to  be  empty,  his  ring,  watch,  or  any 
other  valuable  about  him  was  bestowed  instead  of 
money.  He  saw  a  poor  tradesman  put  into  a  hackney- 
coach  by  two  bailiffs,  followed  by  his  weeping  wife  and 
family,  from  whom  he  was  about  to  be  torn  and  thrown 
into  prison.     To  avoid  observation  he  ordered   Molckte 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  63 

to  follow  the  coach  to  the  Marshalsea ;  he  paid  the 
debt  and  costs,  and  setting  the  poor  man  free  from 
every  other  demand,  gave  him  five  hundred  dollars  to 
enable  him  to  begin  the  world  anew.  He  distributed 
considerable  sums  generally  amongst  the  poor  debtors 
confined  in  the  different  gaols  of  the  metropolis.  To 
men  of  science  he  paid  but  little  attention  ;  nor  was  he 
a  warm  patron  of  literature  or  the  fine  arts.  All  the 
faculties  of  his  mind  were  concentrated  on  voluptuous 
pursuits.  He  was  struck  by  the  marked  superiority  of 
the  British  stage,  and  David  Garrick  had  the  honour  of 
an  audience.  The  King  paid  homage  to  his  genius, 
repeating  a  line  of  Shakespeare  as  he  presented  him 
with  a  very  valuable  snuff-box  set  with  brilliants. 
M.  Martin  of  Stockholm,  a  Swede,  and  an  eminent 
landscape  painter,  was  then  in  London.  Having 
recently  seen  the  Queen  Magdalena  Sophia,  the  sister 
of  Christian  VII.,  and  being  much  admired  as  an 
artist,  he  was  admitted  to  an  audience,  and  received 
a  valuable  present  as  a  token  of  affection  towards 
his  Royal  sister,  the  Queen  of  Sweden,  and  of  respect 
to  the  artist,  who  offended  the  King  by  telling  him, 
in  reply  to  a  question,  "  Whether  the  Queen,  his 
sister,  was  happy  ? "  that,  "  She  was  as  happy  as  a 
young  woman  could  be  expected  who  had  been  married 
nearly  three  years  and  yet  remained  a  virgin."  The 
King  coloured  at  the  insinuation  contained  in  this  impru- 
dent reply,  which,  finding  its  way  to  Stockholm,  injured 
M.  Martin  very  materially. 

After    distributing    many    magnificent   presents,    and 
taking  leave  of  the  King,  Queen  and  Royal  Family,  the 


64  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

King  of  Denmark,  on  the  13th  of  October,  1768,  set  off 
for  Dover,  where  he  embarked  for  Calais,  and  proceeded 
to  Paris.  There  he  was  received  with  all  the  eclat  and 
magnificence  in  the  power  of  that  voluptuous  Court  to 
bestow  on  a  Prince  who  had  travelled  so  far  to  visit  the 
most  polished  Court  in  Europe.  Here  the  treasures  of 
France  and  Denmark  were  poured  forth  in  a  mingled 
stream,  and  the  King  plunged  anew  into  dissipation. 
The  Duke  of  Orleans  initiated  him  in  Parisian  volup- 
tuousness. It  was,  perhaps,  mere  caprice  that  induced 
Christian  to  travel  in  Holland,  incognito,  as  Prince  of 
Travendahl,  in  England  as  a  King,  and  in  France  as 
Count  of  Oldenburgh.  After  dining  at  Versailles  with 
the  French  King,  Queen  and  Court,  a  large  curtain 
was  withdrawn,  and  disclosed  a  fine  view  of  his  great 
Palace  of  Christiansborg,  at  Copenhagen.  The  Prince 
of  Conde  gave  him  a  grand  hunt  by  torchlight  in  an 
illuminated  forest.  Such  splendid  spectacles,  even  in 
France,  were  scarcely  ever  before  witnessed.  No  won- 
der that  the  youthful  King  was  completely  entranced 
and  lost,  as  it  were,  in  a  flood  of  pleasure.  Whilst  he 
was  in  this  capital,  in  defiance  of  Struensee's  remon- 
strances, he  abandoned  himself  with  more  fury  than  ever 
to  unrestrained  habits  of  debauchery,  whilst  his  health 
more  than  ever  suffered,  not  only  by  former  taints,  but 
still  more  severely  by  a  recent  infection,  which  rendered 
his  case  almost  hopeless.  At  the  Court  of  Versailles 
our  King  left  a  very  mean  character  behind  him  as  to 
his  prowess  in  feats  of  love;  and  there,  as  in  London, 
Christian  was  "  King  of  Diamonds,"  and  Holcke,  "  King 
of  Hearts." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  65 

On  the  8th  of  December,  the  King  and  his  suite 
quitted  Paris,  on  his  return  to  the  capital  of  Denmark, 
via  Strasburg  and  Altona,  which  he  reached  by  the 
beginning  of  January,  1769,  after  an  absence  of  rather 
more  than  six  months,  and  the  expenditure  of  nearly 
^"200,000  sterling. 


vol.  1 


66  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 


CHAPTER   V 

Queen  Matilda — The  Counts  Stvuensee  and  Rantzau — Court 
intrigues — Peter  III.,  Count  Rantzau  the  cause  of  his 
death — Madame  Gbhler — First  confidential  interview  be- 
tween Queen  Matilda  and  Stvuensee  —  Its  result — Reflec- 
tions on  their  comparative  criminality. 

During  the  absence  of  her  giddy  lord,  Matilda  re- 
sided principally  at  the  Palace  of  Fredericksborg,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Copenhagen,  and  her  conduct  was  free 
from  reproach.  Though  courted  and  menaced  by  con- 
flicting factions,  she  joined  with  none,  nor  showed  the 
least  ambition  for  political  power.  She  appeared  to 
feel  a  truly  maternal  affection  for  her  child,  and  in 
spite  of  remonstrances,  had  the  infant  and  nurse  to 
sleep  in  her  own  apartment.  She  sometimes  visited, 
and  was  visited  by,  the  Queen-Dowager  and  Prince 
Frederick,  but  lived  very  retired.  She  was  grown  in 
stature,  and  appeared  much  more  womanly  than  when 
she  arrived  in  Denmark.  The  glow  of  robust  health 
was  on  her  cheek ;  she  often  nursed  her  child,  and  a 
more  interesting  object  could  scarcely  be  conceived 
than  this  healthy  and  lively  young  Queen  playing  with 
her  babe.  During  this  state  of  retirement,  Matilda 
visited    the    houses    of   the    farmers    and    peasants  who 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  67 

resided  near  the  palace ;  and  though  she  could  not 
converse  fluently  with  these  poor,  grateful  people,  she 
gained  their  warm  hearts  by  her  condescension  in 
visiting  their  cottages,  smiling  graciously  on  their 
wives  and  daughters,  and  distributing  useful  presents. 
Thus  innocently,  Queen  Matilda  passed  her  time 
during  the  travels  of  her  wild  and  dissipated  husband. 
During  all  this  time,  the  different  factions  were 
struggling  for  ascendency.  The  chiefs  of  those  domes- 
tic curses  sent  home  to  Denmark  such  accounts  of  the 
conduct  of  the  King  and  the  overweening  influence  of 
Count  Holcke,  as  awakened  the  most  serious  apprehen- 
sions in  the  minds  of  those  who  really  felt  for  their 
country.  Matilda  ranked  Count  Holcke  as  her  most 
formidable  enemy ;  and  she  strove  in  vain  to  prevent 
his  accompanying  the  King.  Count  Charles  Schak 
Kantzau,  Governor  of  Gluckstadt,  a  general  in  the 
army,  a  Knight  of  the  Order  of  the  Elephant,  the 
head  of  one  of  the  most  powerful  families  under  the 
Danish  Crown,  being  ambitious  of  power,  found  means 
to  induce  Count  Holcke  and  Enevold  Brandts  to 
favour  the  appointment  of  Doctor  John  Frederick 
Struensee  as  Physician  in  Ordinary  to  the  King, 
and  to  accompany  his  Majesty  in  the  grand  tour  that 
he  meditated  through  Holland,  England,  France  and 
Germany.1     There    is    scarcely    a    doubt,    though    the 

1  The  following  account  of  the  unfortunate  Count  Struensee, 
and  his  father  and  brothers,  is  extracted  from  the  "  Conversion 
of  Struensee,"  pp.  55 — 57. 

"  Adam  Struensee,  his  father,  was  born  at  New  Rippon,  edu- 
cated at  Brandenburg,  and  studied  at  Halle  and  Jena.  In  1730, 
he   was   made   chaplain  to    Count   Witgenstein  ;     he   married   the 

5—2 


68  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

immediate  consequence  of  this  step  was  beneficial  to 
Struensee  alone,  that  General  Count  Rantzau  had  his 
own  interest  in  view ;  and  that  he  hoped,  by  the 
talents  and  influence  of  Struensee,  to  ascertain  and 
counteract  the  machinations  of  Count  Holcke,  and 
once  more  obtain  a  post  of  consequence  in  the  Court 
of  Christian   VII. 

Struensee  was  a  libertine  and  a  freethinker.  He 
possessed  considerable  talents,  and  became  a  favourite 
with  this  nobleman,  whose  morals  were  of  the  same 
loose  stamp.  Count  Rantzau  married  his  first  cousin, 
the  daughter  of  his  father's  brother,  Count  Oppendorff, 
of  Kiel.  It  was  rather  a  union  of  the  two  estates  of 
Rantzau  Oppendorff  and  Rantzau  Aschberg.  The 
Count  and  Countess  had  not  been  long  married  before 
she  retired  from  the  Count's  residence.  Her  husband 
ever  used  to   speak  of  her  as  a   good  creature,  a  little 

daughter  of  the  Count's  physician.  Frederick  V.  advanced  him 
to  the  high  post  of  General  Superintendent  to  the  Two  Duchies, 
a  clerical  rank  nearly  equal  to  that  of  a  bishop. 

"  John  Frederick,  afterwards  Count  Struensee,  was  born  at  Halle, 
on  the  5th  of  August,  1737;  studied  medicine;  was  appointed 
Physician  to  the  districts  of  Rantzau  and  Pinneberg ;  resided  at 
Altena.  In  April,  1768,  was  appointed  Physician  to  the  King  ;  in 
May,  1769,  Lccteur  Royale  ;  on  the  19th  of  May,  1770,  Counsellor 
of  Conference  and  Maitre  du  Requestes  ;  in  July,  1771,  First  Minister 
of  the  Crown,  created  a  Count,  and  invested  by  the  Queen  with  the 
Order  of  Matilda;  was  arrested  on  the  17th  of  January,  1772,  and 
beheaded,  &c.,  on  the  28th  of  April  following.  Charles  Struensee, 
now  a  Minister  of  the  Crown  (1817)  in  Prussia,  with  the  rank  of 
Baron,  was  born  in  1735,  and  was  Professor  of  Mathematics  at 
Liegnitz,  in  Silesia.  He  was  called  to  Denmark  by  Struensee  ; 
made  Minister  of  Justice,  and  arrested  with  him  ;  as  was  also  the 
case  with  a  younger  brother,  to  whom  he  had  given  a  commission 
in  the  horse-guards." 


COURTS     OK     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  69 

beside  herself.  It  was  too  probably  his  libertine  pur- 
suits that  destroyed  her  health,  her  peace,  and  affected 
her  intellect.  He  frequently  visited  the  Countess  when 
he  was  near  her  residence,  and  showed  her  respect 
when  she  was  no  longer  capable  of  being  gratified  by 
his  attentions. 

When  young,  the  Count  was  a  very  line  man.  He 
was  of  a  profuse  disposition,  caring  so  little  about  money 
that,  when  he  was  colonel  of  a  regiment  and  wanted 
to  light  his  pipe,  if  no  other  paper  were  within  reach, 
he  would  make  use  of  Danish  banknotes  of  ten,  twenty 
or  thirty  dollars  each.  His  purse  and  his  table  were 
always  open  to  his  friends.  He  was  munificent  to  the 
poor,  a  liberal  landlord,  a  brave  officer,  an  accomplished 
courtier,  and  a  universal  lover.  He  possessed  that  cool 
kind  of  courage  which  denotes  the  firmest  nerves.  He 
had  been  engaged  in  several  duels,  some  of  a  political, 
but  more  of  a  female  origin  (if  the  expression  may  be 
allowed),  and  more  than  once  he  laid  an  opponent  dead 
at  his  feet.  In  one  case,  where  he  had  debauched 
the  daughter  of  a  gentleman  whom  he  could  not  avoid 
fighting,  and  who  rushed  on  the  sword  of  his  child's 
betrayer,  the  Count  was  for  a  time  inconsolable ;  he 
threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  the  widow  with  every 
mark  of  penitence,  imploring  her  forgiveness  ;  he  mar- 
ried, with  the  left  hand,1  the  unfortunate  lady  he  had 
seduced,  and  settled  an  ample  provision  on  the  mother 

1  An  intermediate  state,  between  that  of  wife  and  mistress,  in  use 
in  Germany,  and  called  "left-hand  marriages";  mostly  used  where 
a  great  inequality  exists  as  to  birth  and  rank.  It  is  said  that  George  I. 
married  the  person,  afterwards  Duchess  of  Kendal,  in  that  way. 


70  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

and  her  other  children.  Time  and  new  amours  soon 
effaced  the  melancholy  inspired  by  this  domestic  tragedy, 
and  the  Count  became  as  gay  and  dissolute  as  ever. 

His  estates  were  very  considerable,  and  lay  principally 
at  Aschberg,  about  four  English  miles  from  Ploen  and 
twenty  from  Lubeck.  His  residence  in  Copenhagen  was 
the  Princens  Palace,  to  the  west  of  Christiansborg.  At 
at  early  age  this  distinguished  nobleman  served  the 
Emperor  of  Austria.  He  was  at  St.  Petersburg  when 
Peter  III.  avowed  his  determination  to  make  war  on 
Denmark  for  the  recovery  of  the  territories  ceded  in 
1737  in  Holstein  and  Sleiswick. 

At  that  eventful  crisis  Count  Charles  Schak  Rantzau 
was  not  an  idle  spectator  of  his  country's  danger.  He 
gained  the  confidence  of  Prince  Orloff  and  the  Empress 
by  communicating  the  secret  designs  of  the  unfortunate 
Emperor,  who,  true  or  false,  was  accused  by  Count 
Rantzau  of  intending  to  put  the  Empress  to  death. 
The  result  is  too  well  known  to  require  repetition. 
Peter  was  dethroned  and  murdered ;  his  wife  ascended 
the  throne.1  Holstein  was  saved  from  invasion,  and  the 
unoffending  Hamburgers  were  forced  to  pay  Frederick  V. 
a  million  of  dollars,  because  the  Autocrat  of  All  the 
Russias  had  menaced  Denmark  with  invasion.  Thus, 
in  Russia  too,  he  helped  to  depose  a  legitimate  Sove- 
reign and  elevate  a- and  a to  an  Imperial  throne. 


1  To  prove  that  Peter  came  to  his  death  by  natural  means,  his 
disconsolate  widow  had  his  corpse  exposed  naked  to  the  view  of  all 
the  world,  although  a  company  of  grenadiers,  with  fixed  bayonets, 
surrounded  it  on  every  side,  threatening  instant  death  to  anyone  who 
should  dare  approach  to  examine  it. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  71 

Ten  years  afterwards  he  seized  a  young  and  interesting 
Queen,  the  wife  of  his  own  Sovereign,  in  the  dead  hour 
of  sleep,  and  hurled  her  from  a  throne  to  a  prison. 
Strange  events  these  to  have  fallen  to  one  man's  share. 
It  is  neither  my  object  to  vilify  the  memory  of  this  extra- 
ordinary nobleman,  nor  conceal  his  failings.  He  was  a 
marked  character,  signalised  from  the  ordinary  herd  of 
courtiers  by  splendid  qualities.  I  have  never  yet  seen 
anything  like  a  correct  biographical  sketch  of  his  event- 
ful life  ;  all  I  can  do  is  to  supply  a  few  leading  traits  that 
may,  perhaps,  remove  the  mystery  that  envelops  his 
motive  and  conduct  on  the  fatal  night  that  consigned 
a  young  and  beautiful  Queen  to  shame,  ruin  and 
exile. 

It  is  already  mentioned  that,  in  the  spring  of  1768, 
Count  Rantzau  was  the  cause  of  Struensee  being  placed 
near  the  person  of  Christian  VII.  It  is  probable  that 
the  real  intention  of  Rantzau  was  to  gain  early  and 
correct  intelligence  of  the  conduct  of  Counts  Holcke, 
Bernstorff,  Molckte,  &c. — particularly  the  former — with 
the  view  of  counteracting  Holcke  and  ingratiating  him- 
self with  the  Queen.  Whether  Struensee  had  secret 
instructions  or  not,  it  is  certain  he  omitted  no  oppor- 
tunity of  undermining  Holcke  in  the  esteem  of  the 
King ;  for  he  was  admirably  calculated  to  perform  a 
secondary  part,  though  wholly  incapable  of  striding 
the  whirlwind  and  directing  the  storm. 

During  the  King's  stay  in  Paris,  Count  Holcke 
fell  under  serious  displeasure ;  and  just  then  arrived 
the  celebrated  Count — then  Chamberlain — von  Brandt, 
a    sort    of    dependent    and    partisan    of   Rantzau's,  the 


72  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

bosom  friend  of  Struensee,  a  man  of  polished  manners, 
undaunted  courage,  a  deist  as  to  religion,  and  a  liber- 
tine as  to  love.  From  the  period  of  Brandt's  arrival 
in  Paris,  the  influence  of  the  giddy  and  voluptuous 
Count  Holcke  was  shaken  and  diminished ;  but  the 
time  of  his  dismissal,  and  of  Brandt's  elevation  to  his 
high  post,  had  not  then  arrived. 

Those  politicians,  the  Counts  Bernstorff  and  Molckte, 
saw  without  alarm  the  King's  fondness  of  the  gay  and 
dissipated  Count  Holcke,  because,  absorbed  in  volup- 
tuous pursuits,  those  statesmen  thought  him  perfectly 
indifferent  to  State  affairs ;  he  might  dissipate  the 
King's  treasures,  contaminate  his  morals,  and  destroy 
his  constitution  without  censure,  as  long  as  he  did  not 
presume  to  interfere  with  the  government  of  the 
kingdom. 

Count  Rantzau  took  the  best  means  in  his  power 
to  convince  Queen  Matilda  of  these  facts,  and  that 
the  great  object  of  each  faction  was  to  keep  Her 
Majesty  from  meddling  with  affairs  of  State.  The 
partisans  of  Juliana  have  accused  Struensee  of  trans- 
mitting anonymous  letters  to  the  Queen,  containing 
the  most  exaggerated  pictures  of  the  King's  debauch- 
eries ;  and  they  have  even  asserted  that  Struensee 
himself  was  the  instigator  of  the  King's  most  criminal 
excesses,  on  purpose  that,  on  his  return  to  Denmark, 
he  might  infect  his  Queen  ! — aspersions  which  I  notice 
only  to  illustrate  the  rancorous  malice  of  the  enemies 
of  Struensee. 

As  to  Count  Rantzau,  he  felt  all  the  esteem  of 
an  affectionate  brother  towards   Frederick  V.     He  was 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  73 

not  ignorant  of  the  base  designs  of  Juliana  Maria. 
He  promised  her  dying  husband  on  his  oath  and  his 
honour  that  he  would  never  desert  his  favourite  boy, 
Christian.  He  now  saw  that  son  surrounded  by  dis- 
solute minions,  who  were  urging  him  to  destruction. 
It  is,  therefore,  allowable  to  presume  that  Count 
Rantzau  had  no  dishonourable  views  in  the  part  he 
acted,  as  it  were,  behind  the  scenes ;  and  that,  in 
seeking  to  obtain  power,  he  intended  to  use  it  for  the 
public  good. 

The  King's  irregularities  led  to  more  frequent  per- 
sonal interviews  between  him  and  Struensee,  who 
knew  so  well  how  to  use  them  that,  insensibly,  he  ac- 
quired not  merely  an  influence,  but  such  kind  of 
authority  over  the  King  as  a  man  might  be  supposed 
to  possess  who  is  the  keeper  of  another's  honour, 
a  witness  of  his  secret  vices,  and  a  mild  and  eloquent 
declaimer  against  them.  And  though  the  giddy  Prince 
took  no  pains  to  improve  his  mind  by  the  intercourse 
with  distinguished  foreigners  which  his  recent  tour  had 
afforded,  Struensee  was  not  so  remiss,  for,  whilst  he 
revelled  in  voluptuous  pleasures,  he  dedicated  a  con- 
siderable part  of  his  time  to  the  acquirement  of 
knowledge.  During  this  tour,  his  manners,  always  in- 
sinuating and  pleasing,  had  acquired  a  polish  and 
dignity  before  unknown.  Even  the  giddy  and  disso- 
lute Count  Holcke  perceived  it ;  Struensee  was  a 
deist  when  a  mere  boy  at  Halle ;  and,  of  course,  his 
intercourse  at  Paris  with  philosophers  and  wits  had 
not  increased  his  reverence  for  revealed  religion.  In 
short,    Struensee    returned    to    Denmark    a    corrupted 


74  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

atheist  and  as  refined  a  sensualist  as  ever  Paris  pro- 
duced. 

It  was  a  gross  mistake  of  the  true  state  of  things 
that  led  Latrobe  and  so  many  writers  to  believe  that 
Matilda  once  felt  aversion  towards  Struensee'.1  It  was 
a  master-stroke  of  policy,  intended  to  blind  and  de- 
ceive Counts  Molckte  and  Bernstorff;  for  if  the 
Queen  had  shown  any  tokens  of  preference  or  solici- 
tude before  Struensee  had  intrenched  himself,  as  it 
were,  in  the  good  graces  of  his  imbecile  Sovereign, 
the  suspicions  of  Holcke  would  have  been  awakened, 
and  means  found  to  remove  the  intruder  before  he 
had  taken  too  deep  a  root. 

Such  was  the  situation  of  affairs  on  the  return  to 
Denmark  of  Christian  VII.  and  his  suite,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  1769. 

In  proportion  as  the  King  declined  and  degenerated 
in  his  physical  and  intellectual  powers,  Matilda  had 
made  more  than  proportionate  advances.  Her  person 
was  much  increased  in  height  and  breadth ;  her  air 
and  appearance  more  dignified  and  imposing ;  her 
mind  seemed  to  have  acquired  firmness,  and,  on  their 
first  interview,  her  conscious  husband  absolutely 
started  at  the  improved  appearance  of  his  Queen  ; 
reflecting  on  his  own  imbecility,  he  seemed  half  re- 
luctant, half  ashamed  to  meet  her. 

Unfortunate  victim  of  the  crimes  of  an  unprincipled 
step-mother  !  At  that  moment  his  whole  system  was 
tainted ;    and  he  should  not    have   approached    Matilda, 

1  "  Authentic  Elucidation  of  the  History  of  Counts  Struensee 
and  Brandt,"  p.  40. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  75 

to  tantalize  her  imagination  and  pollute  her  wholesome 
blood.  Like  the  snail  that  crawls  over  the  blushing 
nectarine,  he  defiled  his  youthful  bride ;  the  poison, 
spreading  through  her  veins,  soon  displayed  its  destruc- 
tive influence.  To  whomsoever  she  had  applied,  of  all 
the  medical  men  in  Denmark,  Struensee  was  the  man 
whom  she  should  have  most  avoided. 

Amongst  the  ladies  with  whom  Matilda  associated, 
her  favourite  was  Madame  Gohler,1  the  beautiful,  ac- 
complished, fascinating  and  wanton  wife  of  the  general 
of  that  name.  Philosoff,  the  Russian  Minister,  and 
Struensee  were  favoured  rivals  in  this  lady's  good 
graces,  who  made  her  charms  subservient  to  her  poli- 
tical views.  She  aimed  at  supplanting  Count  Holcke, 
to  promote  the  influence  of  the  Queen,  and  through 
her  favour  to  advance  herself  to  the  rank  of  chief  fe- 
male favourite.  Her  Russian  lover  declared  against 
the  Queen's  interest,  and  on  this  account  Madame 
Gohler  excluded  him  from  her  boudoir,  and  Struensee 
was  preferred,  much  less  from  personal  advantages  than 
the  political  power  she  hoped  to  obtain  by  making  him 
her  instrument.  The  Courts  of  Russia  and  France 
were  each  supporting  their  favourite  agents.  Those 
were  Bernstorff,  Molckte,  Schimmelman,  Thott,  and 
Lauerig.      The   Russian    Minister,   imputing  his  declin- 


1  Lady  Gohler  was  at  this  time  about  twenty-seven  years  of  age  ; 
her  figure  good ;  her  complexion  remarkably  clear  and  fine ;  features 
small  and  regular,  yet  expressive ;  her  eyes  dark  and  piercing ;  she 
was  rather  too  much  inclined  to  embonpoint ;  her  style  of  dress  was 
greatly  admired.  General  Gohler  was  a  good-looking  man  ;  rather 
short  and  stout ;  he  commanded  the  artillery,  and  resided  in  the 
Storm  Gadan. 


76  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

ing  influence  with  Madame  Gohler  to  the  superior 
accomplishments  of  Struensee,  and  knowing  that  his 
rank  as  an  ambassador  forbade  the  physician  lifting  an 
arm  against  him,  he,  like  a  cowardly  ruffian,  fell  un- 
awares upon  his  rival  and  gave  him  a  very  severe 
castigation  with  a  cane — a  mode  of  discipline  to  which 
he  had  himself  often  submitted  at  St.  Petersburg  from 
the  hand  of  Peter  III.,  in  whose  murder  he  was  after- 
wards instrumental.  His  associate,  Salder,  was  born 
in  Holstein,  and  dismissed,  on  a  charge  of  embezzle- 
ment, from  his  post  as  bailiff  over  the  Royal  domain 
called  Trittau ;  an  appoinment  that  marked  the  con- 
tempt felt  by  Catherine  and  her  ministers  towards  the 
Danish  Court. 

Madame  Gohler  made  love  subservient  to  ambition ; 
she  dismissed  the  Russian  boyard  the  moment  her  in- 
terest required  it  ;  and,  instead  of  monopolizing  the 
attentions  of  Struensee,  she  did  all  she  could  to  ad- 
vance his  interest  with  the  Queen,  to  whom  she  spoke 
of  Struensee  as  a  man  worthy  of  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  any  woman,  and  earnestly  advised  Matilda  to 
allow  her  to  state  Her  Majesty's  case  to  the  general, 
that  he  might  make  it  known  to  Struensee. 

The  interview  that  decided  the  fate  of  Matilda  and 
Struensee  took  place,  under  the  mediation  of  Lady 
Gohler,  in  the  King's  hunting  lodge  at  Travendahl. 
On  this  occasion  Struensee  adorned  his  person  with 
more  than  common  care,  and  he  certainly  formed  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  King  his  master.  Struensee 
was  fully  five  feet  ten  inches  high  and  very  robust,  his 
complexion   fair,  his   eyes   blue,   his  luxuriant  hair  was 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  77 

flaxen — rather  inclined  to  yellow — a  high  forehead,  pro- 
minent nose,  well-formed  mouth,  and  a  good  set  of  teeth.1 
His  personal  defects  consisted  in  his  appearance  being 
too  heavy  to  be  graceful — his  neck  was  short,  and  he 
was  a  little  in-kneed.  From  these  particulars  it  will 
readily  be  conceived  that  he  made  a  better  figure  on 
horseback  than  on  foot.  Struensee  took  particular  pride 
in  dressing  with  elegance.  He  fenced  and  danced  well, 
and  whilst  he  was  in  England  he  took  lessons  from 
Mr.  Astley,  and  greatly  improved  his  horsemanship.  He 
wore  his  hair  dressed  like  the  Queen,  namely,  four  curls 
on  each  side,  a  high  toupee,  the  hair  behind  plaited  and 
made  fast  with  a  comb ;  he  wore  a  black  silk  waistcoat, 
small  clothes  and  stockings,  and  a  coat  of  blue  cloth 
with  gilt  buttons.  The  suit  which  he  then  wore  having 
been  made  by  the  first  tailor  in  London.  Struensee 
was  then  just  in  the  flower  of  his  days ;  the  glow  of 
robust  health  tinged  his  florid  cheeks  and  sparkled  in 
his  fine  blue  eyes ;  and  if  he  were  not  an  Adonis, 
he  was  a  noble-looking  fellow,  whose  physiognomy 
and  manners  were  calculated  to  make  too  deep  an 
impression  on  an  amorous,  neglected,  insulted  and 
injured  woman. 

It  cannot  be  believed  that  Matilda  attended  this 
assignation  without  experiencing  emotions  painful  and 
humiliating ;  and  she  inherited  her  full  share  of  the 
hauteur  that  marks  her  family.    Struensee  was,  of  course, 

1  In  the  "Conversion  of  Struensee,"  the  portrait  is  rather  a 
caricature  than  a  likeness.  In  Mr.  Jens  Wolff's  "Northern  Tour," 
p.  80,  there  is  a  more  natural  representation,  but  the  attitude  is 
bad. — Editor. 


7»  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

all  deference.  He  said  but  little,  for  Lady  Gohler  had 
beforehand  apprised  the  Queen  of  all  the  vices  of  her 
degenerate  husband — polluting  her  ear  by  the  description 
of  habits,  the  very  knowledge  of  which  was  hereto- 
fore hidden  from  her,  and  which  cannot  be  told  by 
a  woman  of  real  modesty.  But  the  fair  Matilda  did 
not  possess  that  extreme  delicacy  that  would  lead  some 
females  to  perish  by  inches  rather  than  reveal  their 
sexual  infirmities  to  a  stranger.  On  the  contrary,  she 
discoursed  relative  to  her  health  with  great  composure. 
But  her  bosom  swelled  with  scorn  and  indignation,  and 
tears  of  anger,  rather  than  sorrow,  fell  in  profusion  from 
her  fine  eyes  as  Madame  Gohler  recited  those  disgust- 
ing articles  of  impeachment  against  Christian  VII.,  that 
are  too  indelicate  to  be  inserted.  This  fatal  interview, 
brought  about  by  Lady  Gohler  to  promote  her  own 
personal  views,  was  the  first  important  error  commit- 
ted by  a  young  and  inexperienced  Queen.  Matilda's 
first  impulse  was  to  write  home  to  her  mother  and 
brother  and  demand  a  separation,  with  liberty  to  retire 
to  England.  "  I  have  experienced  little  else,"  said  the 
Queen,  "  than  mortifications  ;  the  King's  family  are 
all  secretly  my  enemies  ;  the  Ministers  of  the  Crown 
are  my  enemies,  and  my  husband  is  the  worst 
foe  of  all !  I  will  take  my  child  and  quit  these 
hated  shores."  Whilst  grief  and  indignation  thus 
shook  her  frame,  Madame  Gohler  appeared  affected 
by  the  sorrows  of  Matilda  almost  as  powerfully  as 
the  fair  sufferer  herself.  Struensee  stood  in  an  attitude 
as  if  he  were  bowed  down  by  grief  :  his  left  hand 
pressed  his  bosom  ;  with  his  right   he  covered  his  face, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  79 

as  though  to  conceal  the  tears  that,  whether  they  were 
real  or  suborned,  trickled  down  his  manly  cheeks.  The 
first  burst  of  passion  over,  Matilda  was  pleased  by 
the  silent,  insidious  homage  paid  by  the  accomplished 
Struensee.  "  You  pity  me,  sir,"  said  she  ;  "  Madame 
Gohler  has  convinced  me  how  truly  you  are  my 
friend  ;  be,  then,  my  counsellor  as  wTell  as  my  physi- 
cian, and  try  if  you  cannot  restore  my  peace  of  mind, 
as  well  as  my  health  !  "  Struensee  could  scarcely 
conceal  his  transports  ;  Madame  Gohler  was  in  secret 
raptures  at  the  complete  success  that  appeared  to 
attend  her  scheme.  Bowing  low,  in  an  attitude  of 
classical  propriety,  the  exulting  flatterer  said  :  "It 
would  ill  become  me,  revered  Queen,  to  offer  any 
other  than  professional  advice  ;  and  were  I  to  pre- 
sume thus  far,  and  offer  my  humble  opinion,  I  could 
not  improve  upon  your  own  noble  and  just  intention 
of  appealing  to  the  protection  of  your  august  family  ; 
but  there  is  one  point  that  probably  Your  Majesty 
may  not  have  considered  :  your  infant,  madam,  is  the 
Heir-Apparent  to  the  Crown  of  Denmark,  and,  should 
you  resolve  to  quit  these  shores,  your  child  must  be  left 
behind — left,  perhaps,  to  perish  under  the  cruelty  of  those 
who  were  the  first  great  cause  of  all  his  Royal  father's 
misfortunes."  Struensee  never  looked  better,  or  spoke 
more  gracefully  or  impressively.  Matilda  was  over- 
come ;  she  almost  screamed  when,  by  a  master-touch, 
Struensee  alluded  to  her  separation  from  her  husband 
and  return  to  England  as  necessarily  occasioning  a 
separation  from  her  beloved  child  !  All  the  fears  of 
the  tenderest  mother   rushed  in  a  flood  to  her  agitated 


SO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

bosom  ;  she  almost  screamed  as,  with  a  convulsed 
voice,  she  exclaimed,  "  Never !  never  will  I  abandon 
my  child  !  "  Madame  Gohler  wept  in  silence.  Stru- 
ensee,  when  Matilda  appeared  more  calm,  bade  her 
assume  her  proper  station,  banish  Count  Holcke,  and 
gradually  take  the  reins  of  government  into  her  own 
hands,  "  Which,"  said  he,  "  your  unhappy  lord  will 
never  more  be  in  a  position  to  exercise  " — telling  the 
afflicted  Queen  that  although  the  King  might  live 
many  years,  yet  he  thought  his  intellectual  faculties 
could  never  be  restored. 

Madame  Gohler  then,  with  earnest  humility,  entreated 
the  Queen  not  to  quit  a  Court  of  which  she  was  the 
pride  and  ornament,  and  leave  her  child  and  friends 
to  the  mercy  of  Juliana.  This  name,  as  by  magic, 
roused  all  her  pride  and  resentment.  "  No  !  "  said 
Matilda,  with  energy ;  "  I  will  not  flee  ;  I  will  face 
my  foes,  and  conquer  them  or  perish  !  "  This  was 
the  very  point  to  which  Madame  Gohler  and  Struensee 
wished  to  work  her  feelings.  "  Thanks  be  to  God  ! 
for  this  resolve,"  exclaimed  the  beauteous  Dane,  as  she 
dropped  on  her  knee  to  promise,  in  the  name  of  her 
Creator,  eternal  fidelity  to  her  Royal  mistress  and  her 
child.  Struensee,  whose  heart  was  really  touched, 
sobbed  audibly.  Secretly  soothed  by  this  proof  of 
attachment  and  sensibility,  Matilda  extended  her  hand, 
saying,  "  Henceforth,  be  you  my  knight !  "  Struensee, 
dropping  on  his  knee  opposite  to  Madame  Gohler, 
bedewed  her  hand  with  tears  as  he  breathed  a  solemn 
oath  to  be  a  true  knight  to  his  Queen.  This  interview- 
decided  the  destiny  of  Matilda   and   Struensee  ;  though 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  01 

probably  at  this  moment  not  one  of  the  interesting 
group  harboured  a  thought  of  the  consequences  that 
ensued.  From  this  moment  the  intercourse  between 
Matilda  and  Struensee  grew  more  frequent ;  her  health 
was  soon  restored,  and  he  that  was  her  physician 
gained  her  heart.  The  Queen  was  young,  her  passions 
at  their  flood,  her  feelings  violent,  her  judgment  weak, 
as  must  ever  be  the  case  where  our  passions  are  strong 
enough  to  subdue  our  reason.  And  if  ever  a  woman 
merited  pardon  for  a  frailty  it  was  Matilda.  Let  anyone 
look  at  such  a  female  and  such  a  husband  !  Let  them 
consider  her  tainted  by  a  loathsome  disease,  unbosoming 
herself  to  a  man  of  high  endowments,  in  the  flower  of 
manhood.  The  temptation  was  too  powerful  for  human 
nature,  under  such  circumstances,  to  resist :  she  yielded, 
and  they  fell ;  but  that  Deity  who  filled  their  too  suscep- 
tible hearts  with  those  warm  passions  that  precipitated 
them  from  their  high  estate,  will  wipe  from  his  tablets 
the  record  of  their  crime,  which  is  amply  expiated  by 
their  sufferings.  If  Matilda  had  been  of  more  mature 
years,  if  her  passions  had  been  less  ardent,  a  proper 
sense  of  her  duty  would  have  curbed  resentful  feelings  ; 
for  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  vast  distance  between 
their  stations,  and  the  solemn  nature  of  his  duties  as 
physician  to  the  King  her  husband,  must  have  restrained 
Struensee,  and  kept  him  in  awe,  however  ardent  were 
his  passion,  or  daring  his  ambition.  Real,  inborn 
modesty  is  one  of  the  sweetest  graces,  as  well  as  the 
strongest  guards,  of  female  chastity.  Perhaps  the 
palaces  of  kings  and  princes  are  not  the  places  where 
this  virtue  thrives;  thence  Matilda,  even  were  she 
vol.  i  6 


82  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

deficient  in  that  quality,  is  rather  an  object  of  compas- 
sion than  censure.  Madame  Gohler  was  an  able  aux- 
iliary, and  if  Struensee  brought  his  deistical  principles 
into  play — if  he  were  able,  as  I  have  been  assured 
was  the  case,  to  eradicate  from  her  mind  all  belief  in 
revealed  religion  and  a  state  of  future  punishment  or 
reward — then,  indeed,  the  fortress  was  dismantled,  and, 
when  betrayed  by  the  traitor  passions  within,  incapable 
of  resistance.  It  is  really  hard  to  decide  where  lay  the 
preponderating  weight  of  blame.  The  first  impulse  of 
Matilda's  feelings,  in  the  eventful  interview  at  Traven- 
dahl,  took  a  proper  direction ;  which  Madame  Gohler 
and  Struensee's  insidious  counsel  turned  aside.  Even 
at  this  period,  the  disposition  of  Matilda  had  lost 
much  of  that  gentleness  and  good  nature  which  dis- 
tinguished her  on  her  first  arrival.  Her  carriage  had 
become  more  bold  and  confident ;  her  temper  more 
quick,  severe,  and  imperious.  It  is  not  likely  she  ever 
felt  a  very  strong  affection  towards  a  worn-out  de- 
bauchee, who  grew  tired  of  her  before  the  honeymoon 
expired ;  and  it  is  consistent  with  the  decided  charac- 
ter of  Matilda  to  imagine,  when  she  found  her  blood 
tainted  with  a  loathsome  disease  by  an  imbecile  and 
depraved  husband,  that  every  vestige  of  respect 
vanished,  and  hatred,  scorn,  and  the  fiercest  thirst 
for  vengeance  took  its  place  in  her  bosom.  The 
enemies  of  Struensee  accused  him  of  having,  through 
Count  Charles  Schak  Rantzau,  communicated  to  the 
Queen  all  the  follies  and  vices  that  disgraced  her 
husband  during  his  travels  the  preceding  year.  These 
accusations,  like  a  multitude  more  with  which  the 
memory  of  the   guilty   favourite   has   been   loaded,   had 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  83 

probably  no  other  foundation  than  the  black  and  hor- 
rible malice  of  his  enemies,  who  literally  carried  their 
enmity  beyond  the  grave. 

Matilda  must  have  made  unequivocal  advances  to 
Struensee  ;  but  let  not  her  memory  be  stigmatised  by 
this  remark,  for,  if  she  resolved  to  transfer  to  him 
the  heart  that  her  husband  had  relinquished,  it  was 
then  her  business  to  save  the  man,  to  whose  affec- 
tions she  aspired,  the  guilt  and  peril  of  seducing  her. 
These  facts,  however,  offer  no  apology  for  her  lover. 
What  insult,  wrong,  or  provocation  had  he  to  plead  ? 
With  all  his  faults,  the  King  had  been  to  him  a  kind 
master.  He  ought  to  have  warned  the  young  and 
irritated  Queen  of  the  fearful  precipice  she  was  as- 
cending. Struensee  was  guilty  of  the  most  heinous 
breach  of  faith  that  can  be  conceived,  and  he  had 
neither  the  levity  of  youth,  nor  the  want  of  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  world  to  plead  as  an  excuse  for  his 
delinquency.  Struensee  was  as  great  a  sensualist  as 
his  Royal  master ;  but  he  had  more  self-command,  and 
husbanded  his  stock  of  health  and  manhood  with  more 
skill.  This  superior  judgment  blackens  the  turpitude 
of  Struensee's  conduct.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to 
stifle  the  voice  of  honour  in  his  conscience  even  if  he 
w§re  ever  so  firmly  resolved  to  disregard  its  dictates ; 
nor  could  he  blind  himself  to  the  dangers  that  beset 
him  on  every  side — dangers  that  were  so  formidable 
and  so  palpable  that,  when  his  principles  proved  too 
much  relaxed  to  restrain  his  licentious  passions,  com- 
mon sense,  supplying  the  place  of  honesty  in  many 
cases,  warned  him  in  vain  to  desist. 

Struensee,   in    his    defence,    affirmed,   and    probably 

6—2' 


84  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

with  justice,  that,  during  his  attendance  on  the  King 
in  his  travels,  he  strove  by  every  means  in  his  power 
to  wean  him  from  his  vicious  propensities ;  warning 
him  of  that  swift  and  sure  destruction  in  which  their 
continuation  would  involve  both  body  and  mind. 
Happy  had  it  been  for  himself  and  for  Matilda  if  he 
could  have  subdued  his  own  master  passion,  and  taught 
the  young  indignant  Queen  to  curb  her  vindictive  feel- 
ings and  avoid  dishonour.  If  he  had  pursued  this  direct, 
straight  and  honourable  course ;  if,  with  all  the  pathos 
and  eloquence  of  which  he  was  master,  he  had  told  the 
Queen  that  his  life  she  might  command,  but  his  honour 
he  must  preserve,  and  that,  although  as  a  humble  friend 
he  might  serve  her,  as  a  lover  he  should  entail  eternal 
ruin  and  disgrace  on  both  their  heads,  it  is  highly  prob- 
able that  pride  would  have  averted  the  calamity  and 
disgrace  that  followed ;  and  Struensee,  faithful  to  his 
Sovereign  and  respected  by  the  woman  whom  he  had 
saved  from  dishonour,  might  still  have  gratified  the 
utmost  scope  of  laudable  ambition.  Instead  of  which, 
with  his  eyes  open,  he  rushed  upon  infamy  and  destruc- 
tion, dragging  his  unfortunate  Queen  with  him  to  per- 
dition. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  85 


CHAPTER   VI 

Melancholy  state  of  the  King — A  Royal  tour  to  the  Duchies 
of  Holstein  and  Sleiswick — Count  Rantzaiis  hospitality — 
History  of  Gourmand,  the  King's  favourite  dog — Anecdotes 
of  the  Court — A  Circassian  Princess — Altered  manners  of 
Queen  Matilda :  wears  leathern  small-clothes,  and  sits  her 
horse  like  a  man — Prosperity  more  difficult  to  endure  than 
adversity — Strueusee  and  Brandt  admonished  by  Count 
Rantzau — The  last  interview — The  arrest  of  Matilda, 
Struensee  and  Brandt. 

It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  comprehend  the  real  state 
of  the  King's  intellect  at  this  period  of  his  life.1  His 
senses  were  so  far  unimpaired  that  he  knew  everybody 
with  whom  he  was  acquainted,  and  conversed  rationally 
enough  on  common-place  subjects.  He  had  the  most 
fixed  abhorrence  of  public  business,  and  signed  his 
name,  without  investigation,  to  everything  proposed 
by  his  ministers.      During  his  recent  tour  through  the 


1  Count  Reventlau  had  a  daughter  who  was  a  confirmed  idiot. 
She  was  inoculated  for  the  small-pox,  and  had  a  very  fine  sort.  This 
being  communicated  to  Frederick  V.,  he  had  matter  taken  from  her 
arm  for  the  inoculation  of  his  son  Christian.  Strong  prejudices 
prevailed  at  that  time  against  the  practice,  on  the  score  of  its 
impiety ;  and  the  subsequent  decay  of  intellect  that  befell  this  Prince 
was  imputed  to  the  person  being  an  idiot  from  whom  the  infection 
was  received. 


86  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

principal  parts  of  Europe  his  excesses  of  every  kind 
were  multiplied,  and  those  secret  vices  to  which  in 
early  youth  he  was  initiated,  through  the  wickedness  of 
Juliana,  grew  so  strong  upon  him  that  even  the  pre- 
sence of  his  attendants  was  no  restraint  upon  their 
filthy  indulgence ;  and  as  though  Nature  intended  a 
two-fold  punishment  for  those  who  so  scandalously  vio- 
lated her  laws,  the  effect  of  these  vices  smite  the 
understanding,  and  paralyze  the  intellectual  as  well  as 
the  physical  faculties.  During  the  seven  months  that 
Christian  VII.  spent  in  his  travels  his  mind  was 
kept  in  a  state  of  intense  exertion  by  the  fascinating 
objects  that  every  hour  assailed  his  senses.  He 
seemed  unusually  depressed  and  abashed  when  he 
first  saw  the  Queen  and  his  child  after  his  return 
from  France.  The  excessive  draughts  upon  his  spirits 
accelerated  the  catastrophe,  and  he  declined  rapidly 
from  that  period;  which  change  was,  by  the  enemies 
of  Matilda  and  Struensee,  imputed  to  drugs  adminis- 
tered by  their  orders,  and  to  the  brutal  coercion  to 
which  he  was  subjected.  He  was  reduced  to  a  state 
of  incapacity  to  govern  before  Matilda  and  Struensee 
seized  the  helm ;  but  he  was  not  in  a  condition  that 
required  the  vigilance  of  a  keeper.  From  being  quick 
and  sensitive  he  grew  dull,  lethargic,  sullen,  and  dread- 
fully furious  if  greatly  irritated. 

Whilst  Struensee  was  lord  of  the  ascendant,  the 
King  was  held  in  a  state  of  liberal  confinement,  de- 
barred from  the  intercourse  and  society  of  everyone, 
save  those  who  were  placed  about  his  person  by  the 
Queen  and  Struensee  ;  yet  during  all  that  period  he  dined 


COURTS     OF    SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  87 

in  public  with  the  Queen,  accompanied  her  in  the  field 
sports  to  which  she  was  addicted,  appeared  at  the 
French  and  Italian  operas,  danced  at  their  balls,  and 
took  part  in  their  card  parties  ;  but  little  if  any  atten- 
tion was  paid  to  what  he  said,  except  as  far  as  his 
wants  were  concerned ;  and  all  the  subaltern  attendants 
and  domestic  servants  had  orders  never  to  speak  to  the 
King.  One  Sunday,  coming  from  the  Royal  Chapel, 
the  King  turned  the  wrong  way,  and  lost  his  way  in 
the  vast  passages  of  his  enormous  palace.  Seeing 
Struensee's  valet,  he  asked  him,  in  a  mild  and  melan- 
choly tone,  to  show  him  his  way  to  his  apartment. 
This  person — a  young,  handsome,  gay  Norwegian,  and 
a  favourite  and  humble  confidant  of  his  master — re- 
spectfully, but  in  profound  silence,  complied  with  the 
Monarch's  request,  and  conducted  him  to  his  magnifi- 
cent prison. 

Not  long  after  the  wasteful  and  impolitic  tour  to 
England,  France,  &c,  the  Court  went  on  a  journey 
through  Holstein  and  Sleiswick,  during  which  the  King 
and  Queen  paid  a  visit  to  Count  Rantzau,  at  his  prin- 
cipal country   residence  Aschberg.1     The  mansion  was 


1  The  family  of  Rantzau  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  in 
Holstein,  not  only  for  antiquity  and  the  extent  of  their  possessions, 
but  for  the  number  of  warriors  and  statesmen  they  produced.  The 
gardens  at  Aschberg  were  as  much  celebrated  in  that  country  as 
those  of  Stow  in  England.  In  the  centre  was  a  conical  hill,  perhaps 
an  ancient  tumulus,  round  which  a  spiral  walk  led  to  the  summit. 
This  mount  was  planted  with  ash  trees  ;  berg  signifies  a  mountain,  and 
the  name  of  this  county  either  gave  its  appellation  to,  or  was  derived 
from,  this  mount.  On  the  top  was  a  rural  bower.  From  this  mount 
there  was  a  fine  view  over  the  lake  of  eight  miles  breadth,  diversified 
by  woody  islands  and  picturesque  shores.     From  the  post  road,  a 


OO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

neither  very  large  nor  magnificent.  The  old  edifice  was 
much  in  the  style  of  gentlemen's  houses  in  England  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  The  new  house,  as  it  was 
called,  was  connected  with  the  ancient  structure,  and 
consisted  of  a  suite  of  four  tolerable  rooms  on  the  ground 
floor  and  as  many  above :  this  building  was  allotted  to 
the  King  and  Queen  and  their  principal  courtiers,  as 
Brandt,  Struensee,  &c.  Amongst  the  females  were  the 
lady  of  General  Gohler,  and  the  wife  of  Counsellor 
Fabricius,1  a  gay,  intriguing  woman,  whose  husband  was 
one  of  Struensee's  confidential  friends.  Count  Rantzau 
himself  was  the  most  finished  libertine  of  his  age ;  but 
even  that  experienced  courtier  saw  with  surprise  the  bold 
and  altered  manners  of  the  young  Queen,  and  the  licen- 
tiousness that  reigned  amongst  her  female  train.  It  was 
the  opportunities  that  this  Holstein  journey,  and  the 
residence  of  the  Court  at  his  house,  afforded  to  the  Count 
of  observing  the  conduct  of  Struensee  and  the  Queen, 
that  convinced  him  he  had  introduced  an  agent  who 
would  soon  tower  high  above  himself,  and  probably  kick 
down  the  ladder  by  which  he  had  been  raised.  His 
suspicions  once  awakened,  he  watched  the  proceedings  of 
Struensee  and  the  Queen,  which,  confirming  his  jealous 
fears  to  their  utmost  extent,  soon  eradicated  every  feeling 

double  row  of  venerable  elms  formed  a  noble  avenue  that  led  to  the 
principal  entrance.  At  a  small  distance  was  a  tolerably  good  inn, 
where  the  domestics  of  the  King  and  his  Nobles  lodged,  and  which, 
in  summer  time,  was  generally  full  of  company  from  Lubeck, 
Hamburg,  &c,  who  were  attracted  by  the  rural  beauties  of  Asch- 
berg. — Editor. 

i  This  gentleman  was  possessed  of  very  superior  talents ;  he  was 
Struensee's  confidential  adviser,  whose  fall  involved  him  in  ruin. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  89 

of  friendship  towards  Struensee,  and  in  it  place  im- 
planted those  deadly  feelings  of  hatred  which,  at  no 
distant  day,  led  to  the  destruction  of  the  incautious 
pair. 

During  the  residence  of  the  Court  at  the  Count's 
mansion,  he  one  day  found  means,  in  spite  of  the  vigi- 
lance of  Brandt  and  Struensee,  to  obtain  an  hour's 
conversation  with  the  King.  Count  Rantzau  knew  his 
weakness  too  well  to  commit  himself  in  any  way.  All  he 
wished  was  to  ascertain  the  state  of  the  King's  mind, 
who,  pleased  with  the  puerile  amusements  that  were 
provided,  seemed  perfectly  indifferent  to  everything  else. 
Rantzau-  gazed  on  the  emasculated  being  with  looks 
fraught  with  more  meaning  than  his  words,  and  tears 
trickled  down  his  furrowed  cheeks.  The  King  seemed 
affected ;  for  a  moment  the  former  sensibility  and 
vivacity  of  his  character  illumined  his  dimmed  eye  and 
pallid  cheek.  He  seized  the  Count  by  the  hand,  and 
said  :  "  You  were  a  true  friend  to  my  father ;  you 
will  never  be  an  enemy  to  me."  "  Never,  Sire  !  never 
will  I  hesitate  to  sacrifice  my  life  in  your  defence  !  " 
Then,  falling  on  one  knee,  he  drew  an  antique  ring 
from  his  finger,  and  put  it  on  the  King's,  saying  in  a 
solemn  manner :  "  This  ring,  Sire,  was  given  me  by 
your  Royal  father  when  I  returned  from  Russia,  and 
when,  by  fortunate  exertions  there,  I  was  the  humble 
means  of  averting  a  great  calamity  that  threatened  his 
throne  ;  deign  to  wear  this  for  my  sake,  and  for  your 
father's ;  and  if  ever  your  Majesty  thinks  yourself  in 
danger,  and  you  want  the  assistance  of  Rantzau,  send 
this  ring  to  me,   and  I  will  flee  on  the  wings  of  affec- 


go  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

tion  and  loyalty  to  your  aid."  Rantzau  had  scarcely 
wiped  the  falling  tear  away  before  the  King,  hearing 
footsteps  approach,  fell  off  at  once  into  his  idiot  state, 
and  running  to  a  canine  friend  of  his  that  was  basking 
in  the  sun,  took  him  round  the  neck,  hugging  him 
with  ardour,  and  calling  him  his  faithful  guard.  This 
uncommon  dog  was  liver-coloured,  of  prodigious  height 
and  size  ;  his  broad  chest  showed  all  the  strength  of 
the  English  mastiff,  his  form  the  elegance  of  the  grey- 
hound. Such  was  the  King's  favourite  dog,  called 
"Gourmand."1  Gourmand  had  a  carriage  for  his  sole 
use  when  the  King  travelled,  and  a  lackey  to  attend 
him  ;  he  was  served  with  food  from  the  King's  table, 
and  was  often  fed  from  his  Royal  master's  hand.  In 
the  midst  of  regal  etiquette,  Gourmand  alone  acted 
without  restraint,  though  generally  with  distinguished 
decency  ;  he  would,  when  he  pleased,  stretch  his  finely- 
formed  limbs  on  the  same  rich  sofa  where  his  master 
reclined,  and  then  no  one  dared  approach  till  he  awoke. 
He  was  playful,  docile,  and  incorruptibly  faithful  to 
his  master  ;  the  only  one  of  all  the  King's  attendants 
of  whom  so  much  might  be  said  with  any  regard  to 
historical  truth. 

The  partisans  of  Bernstorff,  of  Molckte,  and  of 
Juliana,    in    derision    of    Struensee's    newborn    honour, 

i  Gourmand,  on  account  of  his  beauty  and  gigantic  size,  was 
presented  to  the  King  by  a  nobleman  who  resided  at  or  near  to 
Lubeck  ;  after  the  fall  of  Struensee  the  King  was  deprived  of  his 
favourite  dog,  which  was  returned  to  the  person  by  whom  it  had 
been  presented.  It  is  said  that  this  dog  leaped  on  and  seized  an 
assassin,  who,  at  a  masquerade  in  1772,  was  there  with  a  view 
to  kill  the  King. — Editor. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  91 

dubbed  this  four-legged  favourite  of  their  Sovereign, 
Monsieur  Gourmand,  Conferentie  Raad — i.e.,  M.  Gour- 
mand, Privy  Counsellor  to  the  King.  Such  was  the 
animal,  and  such  the  honours  paid  to  him  by  Christian 
VII.,  to  which  he  hastened  almost  before  Rantzau  had 
done  speaking  ;  a  circumstance  that  led  the  Count  to 
think  that  the  King  was  apprehensive  of  danger,  and 
fully  comprehended  the  meaning  of  the  Count's  gift. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  a  more  distressing 
spectacle  than  that  presented  to  a  contemplative  mind 
in  the  wreck  of  this  gay  young  Monarch,  now  become  an 
object  of  fixed  aversion  to  his  wife,  and  of  secret  scorn  to 
his  own  menials.  Enfeebled  as  he  was  in  mind  and 
body,  he  had  yet  sufficient  consciousness  to  feel  at 
intervals  all  the  misery  of  his  degraded  condition, 
though  he  wanted  resolution  to  quit  those  abhorrent 
vices  by  which  it  was  produced.  From  this  moment, 
till  the  fatal  17th  of  January,  1772,  the  King  took  no 
particular  notice  of  the  Count,  but  the  ring  kept  its  place 
on  his  finger.  During  the  stay  of  the  Court  at  Asch- 
berg,  Count  Rantzau  spared  no  pains  nor  expense  to 
render  his  abode  agreeable  to  the  young  Queen.  Each 
day  had  its  peculiar  festivities  and  amusements;  music, 
hunting,  fishing,  sailing  on  the  lake,  and  rustic  sports, 
which  more  than  any  pastime,  pleased  the  imbecile  King. 
The  Queen,  fully  satisfied  with  the  magnificence  and 
respect  with  which  Count  Rantzau  had  entertained  her 
— little  dreaming  of  the  share  that  her  attentive  host  was 
to  have  in  her  approaching  fall — gave  him  a  superb 
snuff-box,  richly  set  with  brilliants,  that  had  cost  her 
husband  a  thousand  Guineas  in  London.     Count  Rantzau 


92  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

followed  the  Court  in  its  progress.  In  his  mind  he 
anticipated  more  than  all  the  sad  results  that  flowed 
from  the  imprudence  of  Struensee;  but,  keeping  these 
thoughts  close  and  his  countenance  open,  he  eluded  the 
vigilance  of  Struensee,  Brandt,  and  even  the  lynx-eyed 
Madame  Gohler.  All  the  party,  Rantzau  excepted,  were 
young  and  in  the  prime  of  life.  They  were  all  the 
willing  slaves  of  voluptuousness,  all  engaged  in  amatory 
pursuits,  and  hence  it  is  no  wonder  that  an  old  experi- 
enced courtier,  who  felt  himself  thrown  out  by  the 
instrument  he  had  chosen  to  forward  his  own  ambitious 
views,  his  malice  sharpened  by  jealousy  and  desire  of 
revenge,  should  be  able  to  out-general  the  giddy,  gay 
and  wanton  train,  who  filled  the  groves  with  music,  love, 
revelry  and  song. 

Of  the  rapid  advancement  of  Struensee  I  shall  say 
nothing,  because  the  subject  has  been  exhausted,  and 
there  is  nothing  new  to  say.  I  shall,  therefore,  gather 
together  such  particular  facts  that  are  nowhere  else  to 
be  found,  and  which  may  possess  sufficient  interest,  in 
the  estimation  of  a  tasteful  reader,  to  atone  for  the  want 
of  historical  importance. 

From  the  time  that  Queen  Matilda  became  the  as- 
sociate of  Madame  Gohler,  Fabricius  and  other  ladies 
of  their  gay  cast,  and  after  the  influence  of  Struensee 
had  attained  that  marked  preponderance  that  was  suffi- 
ciently potent  to  banish  Bernstorff  and  Molckte  to  their 
respective  estates,  and  to  monopolize  the  exercise  of 
sovereign  power,  the  person  of  Matilda — her  temper, 
manners,  principles — all  seemed  to  undergo  a  total  and 
most    disadvantageous    chantre.       Notwithstanding:    the 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  93 

daily  exercise  she  took,  either  hunting  or  riding  on 
horseback,  Matilda  grew  extremely  corpulent,  and  was 
become  so  much  taller  and  larger  than  when  she 
arrived  in  Denmark  in  1766,  that  a  person  who 
had  not  seen  the  Queen  for  the  last  five  years,  would 
scarcely  have  been  able  to  recognise  her.  Matilda,  in 
her  attire,  was  always  gay  and  tasteful,  and  on  occa- 
sions truly  magnificent,  adopting  a  medium  between  the 
fashions  of  London  and  Paris.  Her  complexion  was 
exquisitely  fair ;  and  it  was  a  disadvantage  to  her 
beauty  that  the  fashions  of  the  day  obliged  her  to 
hide  the  colour  and  texture  of  her  fine  silver  tresses 
under  a  load  of  powder  and  pomatum.  Matilda  looked 
handsome  in  any  proper  dress,  and  truly  noble  in  her 
gala  robes.  In  her  common  evening  dress,  she  adopted 
that  of  the  Court  of  Versailles.  She  had  a  bosom 
such  as  few  men  could  look  on  without  emotion,  or 
women  without  envy  ;  and  she  displayed  more  of  its 
naked  charms  than  strict  modesty  could  approve,  and 
far  more  than  the  Danes  had  ever  witnessed  in  the  pre- 
ceding Queens — Sophia  Magdalena,  Louisa,  or  Juliana. 
Making  no  allowance  for  the  progress  of  luxury  and 
change  of  manners,  the  grave  and  illiberal  censured  the 
fair  young  Queen  for  that  which  delighted  the  young 
and  gay.  Matilda  was  a  resolute  and  fearless  horse- 
woman. It  it  believed  that  Struensee  first  led  her  to 
sit  across  her  horse,  like  a  man.  No  doubt  this  mascu- 
line habit,  that  was  confined  to  the  labouring  farmers' 
wives  and  daughters,  was  adopted  for  security's  sake, 
but  it  gave  great  and  general  offence  to  all  the  middle 
and  higher  classes  of  females.      Perhaps  her  masculine 


94  SECRET     HISTORY     OF    THE 

and  indelicate  appearance,  dressed  in  leathern  small- 
clothes,1 booted  and  spurred,  riding  across  a  horse,  did 
her  more  injury  in  public  opinion,  amongst  the  elegant 
and  cultivated  of  her  own  sex,  than  her  undue  prefer- 
ence of  Struensee.  A  proof  that,  in  an  age  of  artificial 
delicacy,  the  want  of  morals  may  sooner  hope  for  pardon 
than  the  want  of  decorum. 

The  Queen  grew  excessively  fond  of  hunting ;  and 
the  Court,  in  everything  magnificent,  kept  up  three 
establishments;  and  for  each  of  those  there  was  a 
separate  uniform,  on  a  very  costly  scale.  The  livery 
of  which  were  as  follows,  viz.: 

The  uniform  for  the  King's  stag-hunt  was  a  buff 
coat,  light  blue  collar  and  cuffs,  the  coat  trimmed  all 
round  with  silver  lace,  scolloped ;  coat  lined  with  blue  ; 
blue  waistcoat,  laced ;  leathern  breeches,  cocked  hat, 
laced;  black  cockade. 

The  uniform  for  the  hare-hunt  was  a  green  velvet 
coat  and  waistcoat,  leathern  breeches,  brown  top  boots, 
cocked  hat,  green  cockade. 

The  falcon,  or  hawk-hunt  uniform  was  the  most 
magnificent,  being  crimson  velvet,  with  green  cuffs  and 
collar,  trimmed  with  gold  lace ;  leathern  breeches,  gold- 
laced  cocked  hat,   green  cockade. 

When   Matilda  rode  a-hunting    she  was    dressed  at 

i  In  opposition  to  this  want  of  candour,  in  which  too  many 
historians  are  apt  to  indulge,  we  need  only  take  the  testimony  of 
living  witnesses,  who  can  vouch  for  her  imprudent  conduct  and 
want  of  public  decency  on  many  occasions:  a  woman  who  could 
assume,  and  ride  en  culottes  at  the  head  of  her  guards,  can,  cer- 
tainly, not  be  said  to  have  many  pretentions  to  female  delicacy. — 
Vide  "Wolff's  Northern  Tour,"  p.  81. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  95 

all  points  as  a  man  !  Her  hair  was  dressed  with  less 
powder,  and  pinned  up  closer,  but  in  the  usual  style, 
i.e.,  side  curls,  toupee,  and  turned  up  behind  ;  she  wore 
a  dove-colour  beaver  hat,  with  a  deep  gold  band  and 
tassels  ;  a  long  scarlet  coat,  faced  with  gold  all  round ; 
a  buff,  gold-laced  waistcoat,  frilled  shirt,  and  man's 
neckerchief ;  buckskin  small-clothes,  and  spurs.  That 
she  made  a  noble  figure  mounted  on  a  majestic  steed, 
and  dashing  through  the  woods  after  the  chase,  her 
cheeks  flushed  with  ruddy  health  and  violent  exercise, 
may  readily  be  conceded ;  but  when  she  walked  the 
charm  was  dissolved ;  her  abdominal  rotundity,  and 
knees  that  turned  too  much  inward,  spoiled  her  figure, 
and  gave  her  an  awkward  gait  ;  the  calves  of  her  legs 
were  of  surprising  circumference,  her  ankle  large,  her 
foot  short  and  chubby.  The  King's  dress  was  also  a 
scarlet  coat,  buff  waistcoat,  and  buckskin  breeches; 
but  so  diminutive  was  his  appearance,  compared  with 
his  wife,  that  he  looked  like  a  stripling.  Struensee 
dressed  in  the  uniform  of  the  hunts  that  he  attended, 
and  was  the  inseparable  companion  of  the  Queen,  with 
whose  person  his  robust  figure  accorded  far  better  than 
that  of  her  husband. 

Although  Struensee  asserted,  in  his  defence,  that 
his  only  object  was  to  promote  union  and  affection 
between  the  King  and  Queen,  it  was  notorious  that 
the  King  was  utterly  disregarded  ;  and  that,  even  at 
table,  the  only  place  where  they  regularly  met,  seldom 
a  word  passed  between  them  ;  and  if  they  met  in  the 
galleries  of  the  palace  or  elsewhere,  they  generally 
passed  without  speaking. 


g6  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Matilda  grew  very  despotic  after  the  elevation  of 
Struensee.  Not  only  were  all  the  attendants  forbidden 
to  speak  to  the  King  on  pain  of  arbitrary  imprison- 
ment, but  also  to  her  son,  the  Crown  Prince  Frederick. 
It  happened  one  day  at  Fredericksborg  Palace,  that 
the  boy  fell  down,  and  cried  out  lustily.  Struensee's 
favourite  valet  chanced  to  see  him,  and  set  the  little 
fellow  on  his  feet.  Matilda  and  Struensee  saw  the 
transaction  from  the  windows  of  the  palace,  and 
an  officer  was  ordered  by  the  Queen  to  send  the  valet 
to  the  Blue  Tower,  a  civic  prison  near  the  long  bridge 
where  disorderly  persons  were  confined.  Thither  he 
was  sent,  and  there  he  found  one  of  the  English 
postillions,  named  William  Smith,  who,  forgetting  the 
Royal  orders,  had  crossed  a  passage  in  the  rear  of 
the  Queen's  apartments  leading  to  the  stables.  The 
Queen  and  Struensee  were  there,  walking  arm-in-arm, 
in  deep  conversation.  For  this  breach  of  orders  he 
was  sent  to  the  Blue  Tower,  on  bread  and  water 
diet,  which  not  suiting  Smith's  stomach,  he  wrote  on 
the  wall  with  a  piece  of  charcoal,  in  English,  the 
following  couplet : 

"The  Queen,  Brandt,  and  Struensee; 
May  the  devil  take  all  the  three." 

Smith  broke  prison,  and  ran  away  :  Matilda  then 
ordered  a  prison-room  to  be  fitted  up  at  Hirschholm 
Palace  for  the  confinement  of  her  servants.  It  hap- 
pened once  that  a  lackey  entered  a  room  on  some 
occasion,  when  the  Queen  was  there,  expecting 
Struensee ;  enraged  at  the  disappointment  and  ex- 
posure,  she  caused   the   poor  menial    to  be   imprisoned 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  97 

and  fed  on  bread  and  water — a  diet  that  might  have 
been  still  more  proper  for  herself.  From  these 
sources,  in  spite  of  the  terrors  excited  by  blue  towers 
or  strong  rooms,  various  scandalous  reports  got  in 
circulation,  highly  to  the  prejudice  of  the  Queen  and 
Struensee. 

There  are  plenty  of  views  of  the  great  Palace  of 
Christiansborg  to  be  found,  by  any  of  which  the  plan 
of  that  huge  and  magnificent  structure  may  be  under- 
stood. It  consisted  of  six  stories  above  the  vaults  ; 
three  of  those  were  extremely  large  and  lofty,  and 
dedicated  to  State  purposes  ;  three  smaller  stories  ran 
between,  not  more  than  eight  feet  high,  called  the 
"  Mezzanine  Stories,"  where  the  State  ministers  and 
Royal  attendants  had  suites  of  rooms ;  the  Queen's 
apartments  were  in  the  grand  (or  east)  front,  on  the 
second  great  story;  the  King's  were  on  the  same 
floor,  but  farther  to  the  south ;  the  Royal  chapel 
formed  another  division  of  this  vast  palace  ;  a  lower 
structure,  or  wing,  under  which  was  one  of  the  en- 
trances to  this  huge  structure,  formed  a  continuation 
of  the  mezzanine  story ;  Struensee's  apartments  were 
in  the  mezzanine  story,  opening  into  the  grand  pas- 
sage leading  to  the  Royal  chapel,  and  next  to  the 
Queen's  apartments  ;  Count  Brandt's  apartments  were 
on  the  same  story,  adjoining  Struensee's,  but  next  the 
chapel ;  from  Struensee's  bedroom  there  was  a  con- 
cealed staircase  that  led  to  the  Queen's,  by  means  of 
which,  if  he  had  not  been  surprised  in  his  sleep,  he 
might  have  escaped. 

Struensee  was  never  appointed  tutor  to  the  Crown 
vol.  1  7 


98  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Prince,  the  child  being  only  four  years  old  when  that 
favourite  fell ;  but,  young  as  he  was,  the  Prince  had 
an  aversion  to  Struensee  that  could  not  be  subdued ; 
no  doubt,  in  defiance  of  all  precautions,  the  attendants 
had  told  him  that  Struensee  was  a  bad  man  ;  nor 
could  his  mother  make  him  call  her  favourite  either 
Graaf  (Count),  or  Excellence,  but  always  the  "Doctor," 
and  that  with  a  tone  of  marked  contempt. 

Under  Struensee's  directions,  the  young  Prince 
was  treated  in  a  very  hardy  manner ;  a  companion 
was  assigned  him,  a  soldier's  child,  whose  name  was 
Edward ;  this  boy  was  called  a  prince ;  he  was  dressed 
in  the  same  plain  uniform  as  the  Crown  Prince,  ate  of  the 
same  dish  with  him,  and  slept  on  the  same  mattress. 
This  experiment  was  made  with  a  view  to  repress,  in  his 
earliest  years,  those  exalted  notions  of  self-importance 
that  had  proved  so  fatal  to  his  unhappy  father ;  and  it 
seems  to  have  answered  its  intended  object,  as  our 
present  beloved  King1  is  universally  acknowledged  as 
the  least  haughty  or  assuming  of  Sovereigns.  Those 
pair  of  little  men,  the  pseudo,  and  the  prince-born, 
frequently  contended  for  mastery.  One  day,  when 
they  had  fought  with  greater  fury  than  usual, 
Frederick  asked  Edward  how  he  dared  raise  his  hand 
against  his  Prince  ?  "A  Prince  !  "  replied  the  other, 
"  I  am  a  Prince  as  well  as  you !  "  "  Yes,  but  I  am 
Crown  Prince,"  rejoined  Frederick,  and  fell  upon  him 
again  when  he  had  owned  himself  conquered.  Matilda, 
hearing  of  this,  had  the  little  urchin  sent  for  to  her 
apartment,  as  well  as  his  companion,  insisting  that  he 
should    beg    pardon    of   Edward.     Frederick    refused   to 

1   Frederick  VI. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  99 

submit  to  her  award,  and  the  Queen,  provoked  by  his 
stubbornness,  beat  him  severely.  He  was  conquered, 
but  not  subdued.  As  he  withdrew,  he  turned  his  eyes 
resentfully  towards  Struensee,  and  said,  "  I'll  go  to  the 
King,  my  father,  and  tell  him,  who  shall  send  that  nasty 
doctor  away  from  you."  By  means  of  these  severities, 
Matilda,  in  his  days  of  infancy,  lost  his  affections ;  so 
much  so,  that  if  he  were  very  unruly,  his  attendants, 
perhaps  as  much  from  malignant  feelings  as  ignorance, 
used  to  threaten  to  take  him  to  the  Queen  !  The  pro- 
bability, however,  is,  that  to  the  system  thus  introduced, 
this  Prince  is  indebted  for  the  strength  he  afterwards 
acquired;1  as  previously  he  was  a  weakly,  puny  child; 
very  cross  and  humorsome,  continually  crying ;  would 
not  walk,  but  cried  till  he  was  carried  ;  and  even  at  two 
years  old  the  attendants  to  make  him  quiet  used  to  tell 
him,  "Your  mamma  shall  come  to  you."  To  get  over 
these  hindrances  to  his  health  and  intellect,  Struensee, 
with  the  approbation  of  the  Queen,  made  a  total  change 
in  the  child's  regimen  :  his  food  thenceforth  was  of  the 
most  plain  and  simple  description,  such  as  bread,  rice, 
fruits,  milk,  vegetables,  all  cold  ;  he  was  bathed  in  cold 
water  two  or  three  times  each  week ;  till  at  last,  he  would 
go  of  himself  to  the  bath.  The  boys  were  very  lightly 
clad ;  and  the  last  winter  had  neither  shoes  nor  stockings, 
nor  fire  in  their  room  ;  everything  was  permitted  that 
they  could  prepare  or  produce  by  their  own  power ;  if 
they  cried  for  anything  they  desired,  it  was  not  given 
them,  nor  were  they  corrected,  menaced,  or  coaxed  ;  if 


1    Vide  "  Verantwortnung  des  Grafen  Struensee  an  die  Koniglicke 
Commission,"  pp.  97,  9S,  99,  &c. 

7—2 


IOO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

they  fell,  there  they  laid  till  they  got  up  by  their  own 
help  ;  no  one  was  to  show  any  concern,  or  say  anything 
about  it ;  the  Crown  Prince  and  his  comrade  played 
together;  in  dressing  and  in  eating  they  assisted  each 
other ;  their  apartment  being  free  from  anything  whereby 
they  could  injure  themselves,  they  were  not  disturbed 
whatever  noise  they  made,  and  their  solitary  life  soon 
reconciled  them  after  their  petty  quarrels.  Both  were 
called  by  their  Christian  names  only  ;  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  see  strangers,  by  which  means  confidence  and 
ease  were  acquired.  His  education  was  to  commence  in 
his  sixth  year,  prior  to  which  he  was  left  to  the  effects 
of  his  own  experience,  temperate  diet  and  exercise.  They 
were  mostly  left  by  themselves,  by  which  means  the  fear 
of  darkness  was  removed,  and  the  attendants  were  for- 
bidden to  play  or  converse  with  them.  After  the  intro- 
duction of  this  system  the  Crown  Prince  was  seldom  ill, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  slight  indispositions, 
his  health  was  uninterrupted  ;  he  had  the  small-pox  from 
inoculation,  extremely  light,  and  also  the  measles  ;  he 
had  acquired  as  much  knowledge  as  could  be  expected 
from  his  tender  years ;  could  dress  and  undress  himself 
without  assistance,  and  go  up  and  down  the  great  stair- 
case of  the  palace  in  a  steady  and  careful  manner,  and 
was  capable  of  everything  that  could  be  expected  from 
a  child  of  his  years  ;  his  health  was  improved,  his  temper 
and  bad  habits  corrected,  and  the  utmost  care  taken  that 
his  infant  mind  should  not  be  inflated  with  vanity  by 
adulation  and  high  titles,  through  which  the  morals  of 
princes  are  so  frequently  vitiated  in  their  infancy.  It 
redounds  to  the  honour  of  Struensee  that  his  enemies, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AXD     DENMARK  IOI 

paying  their  court  to  the  prejudices  of  the  most  illiterate 
and  ignorant  of  the  people,  actually  made  this  system  a 
capital  charge  against  him,  falsely  and  absurdly  affirming 
that  it  endangered  not  only  the  health,  but  the  life  of  the 
Prince. 

During  the  residence  at  Hirschholm  Palace  of  Matilda 
and  the  Court,  in  1771,  a  black  boy,  introduced  by  Count 
Brandt,  was  constantly  with  the  King ;  the  presence  of 
this  youth  and  the  occasion  of  it  gave  rise  to  many 
strange  conjectures.  After  the  fall  of  Brandt  and 
Struensee  the  young  black  was  sent  away  and  heard 
of  no  more.  It  was  remarked  that  the  boy  never  looked 
happy,  and  seemed  anxious  to  keep  as  far  from  the  King 
as  possible.  The  dog  Gourmand  and  this  young  negro 
were  the  chief  associates  of  the  King. 

The  Empress  Catherine  sent  a  beautiful  young  Cir- 
cassian   Princess,    whom    Potemkin    captured    with   the 

Grand   Vizier's   tent    at   ,    as    a   present   to    Queen 

Matilda.  She  was  placed  in  the  Queen's  apartments 
with  the  ladies  of  her  chamber ;  after  the  fall  of  Matilda 
this  young  foreigner  was  sent  back  to  the  Russian  Court ; 
she  was  very  wild  and  gay  and  about  fifteen  years  of  age. 

At  Hirschholm,  Struensee  generally  breakfasted  in 
the  Queen's  apartment.  The  table  was  spread  with  a 
profusion  of  dried  meats,  eggs,  and  other  substantial 
food,  as  well  as  tea,  coffee  and  chocolate.  The  Queen 
generally  made  a  hearty  breakfast. 

Wherever  the  Court  resided,  it  was  a  scene  of 
sensuality  in  every  shape.  Before  the  Queen  and  suite 
set  out  hunting  a  hot  luncheon  was  served  up  in  the 
apartment  called  the  Rose,  where  the  great   officers   of 


102  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

State,  and  foreigners  of  distinction,  dined.  This  con- 
sisted, not  of  gewgaws,  but  of  substantial  dishes  of 
meat,  game,  soups,  fish,  and  pasties. 

Struensee  generally  took  his  breakfast  and  luncheon 
in  the  Queen's  apartment ;  sometimes,  a  dish  of  choco- 
late or  coffee  in  his  own  room,  but  not  frequently. 
The  King  was  served  in  his  own  apartment,  and  was 
considered  of  little  more  importance  than  his  dog 
Gourmand  or  his  negro-boy. 

A  few  of  the  ladies  followed  the  example  of  the 
Queen,  dressed  in  the  same  uniform  as  the  gentlemen, 
and  rode  across  as  they  did  ;  others,  under  a  riding- 
habit,  wore  small-clothes  and  top  boots,  and  sat  side- 
ways on  their  horses.  Nothing  could  be  more  licen- 
tious than  the  Court  of  Matilda  in  1770  and  1771  ; 
her  palace  was  a  temple  of  pleasure,  of  which  she  was 
the  high-priestess  :  everything  was  found  there  calcu- 
lated to  excite  and  gratify  sensual  desires.  A  modest 
woman,  or  a  sensible  man,  would  have  been  laughed 
out  of  countenance.  The  Queen  was  not  then,  as 
heretofore,  generally  beloved ;  she  grew  harsh  and  im- 
perious towards  her  women,  wTho  were  mostly  young 
voluptuaries — for  with  such  Struensee  and  Brandt  filled 
the  Court,  and,  indeed,  no  respectable  lady  would  be 
seen  there.  With  these  young,  blooming,  immodest 
women,  the  pampered  domestics  belonging  to  Queen 
Matilda,  and  to  Counts  Struensee  and  Brandt,  used  to 
associate.  They,  too,  had  their  balls,  masquerades, 
concerts  and  conversaziones,  wherein  decency  or  re- 
straint were  alike  unseen.  The  vices  of  their  volup- 
tuous superiors  were  implicitly   adopted,  their  manners 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  IO3 

aped,  infirmities  ridiculed,  and  their  most  secret  trans- 
actions exposed.1  Within  three  days  of  Matilda's 
being  put  to  bed  of  the  Princess  Louisa,  namely,  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1771,  she  rode  out  on  horseback  ;  the 
horse  plunged  and  kicked,  till  he  backed  into  a  dry 
ditch,  when  Matilda,  sitting  firm  and  undismayed, 
flogged  and  spurred  the  restive  animal  till  she  con- 
quered, and  rode  home  unhurt.  She  was  delivered  of 
a  daughter  2  at  this  palace,  to  which  the  Queen- 
Dowager  Juliana  and  Prince  Frederick  stood  sponsors, 
an  act  of  courtesy  intended  by  the  former  to  lull  the 
suspicions  of  her  intended  victims,  for  the  indiscretions 
of  Matilda  were  all  reported  to  her,  perhaps  with 
exaggerations,  and  at  this  early  period  means  were  in 
contemplation  to  destroy  Struensee,  Brandt,  and  the 
rank  and  power  of  the  Queen. 

There  was,  perhaps,  no  Court  in  Europe,  where 
more  respect  was  shown  to  foreign  Ministers,  or  their 
convenience  more  studied,  than  in  Denmark.  At 
Hirschholm,  two  days  in  the  week,  they  dined  at  the 
King's,  or  rather,  the  Queen's  table.  On  their  return 
from  the  drawing-room  to  their  respective  apartments, 
they  found  a  ticket  on  their  dressing-table,  specifying 
where  they  were  to  dine ;  some  at  the  King's  table, 
others  at  the  Lord  Chamberlain's,  in  the  chamber  called 
the  Rose. 

1  "The  poor  Queen  of  Denmark  was  certainly  very  imprudent. 
I  learn  she  would  even  appear  in  full  Court  in  breeches,  and  the 
Northern  nations  are  rigid  in  the  bienseance." — "  Walpoliana," 
vol.  ii.  p.  93. 

2  Louisa  Augusta,  who  was  married  to  the  late  Prince  of  Au- 
gustenburg. 


104  SECRET     HISTORY    OF     THE 

The  usual  number  that  sat  down  to  dinner1  at  the 
King's  table  was  twelve,  alternately  five  ladies  and 
seven  gentlemen,  or  seven  ladies  and  five  gentlemen. 
The  King  cut  a  wretched  figure  on  these  occasions  : 
not  so  the  Queen,  who  dressed  very  superbly,  and  made 
a  noble  and  splendid  appearance.  The  King  and  Queen 
were  served  on  gold  plate  by  noble  pages ;  the  Marshal 
of  the  Palace  sat  at  the  foot  of  the  latter,  the  chief 
lady  of  the  household  at  the  head;  the  company,  a  lady 
and  gentleman  alternately,  opposite  to  the  King  and 
Queen. 

A  table  of  eighty  covers  was  provided  every  day  in 
the  Rose  for  the  great  officers  of  State,  who  were  served 
on  silver  plate.  At  this  table,  Struensee,  Brandt,  their 
friends  and  favourites,  male  and  female,  used  to  dine. 
The  courtiers  paid  Struensee  as  much  homage  as  they 
used  to  pay  to  the  King.  His  carriage  was  much 
changed :  he  grew  haughty  and  imperious,  more  and 
more  magnificent  in  dress  and  equipage ;  but  was  that 
to  be  wondered  at  ?  Where  is  the  man  who  could 
endure  such  a  flood  of  good  fortune  unchanged  ?  A 
common  mind  may  bear  adversity  with  firmness ;  but 
show  me  the  man  that  can  conduct  himself  with  humility 
and  forbearance  under  a  long  course  of  the  highest  pos- 
sible prosperty,  and  I  will  own  he  is  great,  truly  great. 

Long  before  the  fatal  catastrophe  in  which  Count 
Rantzau  bore  so  conspicuous  a  part,  that  nobleman 
strove  to  moderate  the  conduct  of  Struensee.  Of  the 
connection    of   the   latter   with   the    Queen    he    was    at 

i  The  dinner  hour  was  seven  o'clock. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  IO5 

no  loss  to  guess ;  and  he  was  well  informed  relative 
to  the  treatment  of  the  King,  for  whose  life  he  enter- 
tained serious  apprehensions.  The  attendants,  by  their 
shrugs  and  shaking  of  their  heads,  spread  reports  more 
unfavourable  than  if  they  had  openly  told  all  they  knew. 
It  was  reported  in  the  palace  that  Brandt  intended  to 
murder  the  King,  in  order  that  the  Queen  might  be 
Regent  during  the  minority  of  her  son.  Nor  can  I 
dismiss  from  my  mind  a  belief  in  the  reality  of  such  a 
design  having  been  entertained.  Struensee  had  already 
committed  the  next  greatest  crime  to  murder.  He  was 
in  possession  of  the  sovereign  power ;  of  course,  he 
wished  to  retain  it,  and  he  knew,  as  long  as  the  King 
lived,  he  should  be  continually  exposed  to  punishment. 
It  is,  therefore,  consistent  with  human  nature  to  sup- 
pose that  he  would  rather  consent  to  put  a  period  to 
the  animal  existence  of  a  wretched  being  who  was 
politically  and  mentally  dead,  than  see  Matilda  hurled 
from  the  throne,  and  himself  consigned  to  the  scaffold. 

The  letters  written  by  Count  Rantzau  to  Brandt 
sufficiently  testify  the  reality  of  the  suspicions  of  the 
former  respecting  the  designs  of  the  latter  against  the 
King's  life.  Of  the  intention  to  deprive  the  King  of 
his  life,  the  party  accused  was  probably  guilty ;  but  of 
legal  proof  there  was  none.  The  law  was  shamefully 
strained ;  and  if  I  cannot  esteem  Brandt  as  an  innocent 
man  in  the  moral  acceptation  of  the  term,  he  certainly 
was  judicially  murdered. 

Count  Rantzau  expostulated  with  Struensee,  as  far 
as  he  judged  it  was  prudent ;  if  he  had  gone  further, 
he  would  have  been  ordered  to  his  estate,  and,  of  course, 


106  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

been  too  far  off  the  King  to  render  him  any  assistance 
in  the  hour  of  peril.  He  was  never  friendly  to  the  views 
of  Juliana  Maria ;  he  would  far  rather  have  seen  Matilda 
at  the  head  of  the  Government,  if  she  had  not,  in  an 
unguarded  moment,  thrown  herself  and  the  sovereignty 
too  into  the  hands  of  Struensee.  Count  Rantzau  would 
have  served  the  Queen  if  he  had  seen  the  least  prospect 
of  doing  so  effectually ;  but  he  was  too  cautious  a 
courtier  to  venture  his  life  and  character  in  support  of 
a  man  of  so  little  prudence  as  Struensee  possessed : 
and  whose  conduct,  in  the  case  of  the  mutiny  of  the 
Norwegian  seamen,  in  1771,  confirmed  the  suspicions 
entertained  respecting  his  total  want  of  personal  courage. 
He  was  then  so  vehemently  alarmed  that  his  pusil- 
lanimity made  Matilda  blush.  Afraid  of  the  approach- 
ing tempest,  he  implored  the  Queen  to  allow  him  to 
depart  the  kingdom,  as  the  only  means  of  saving  his 
life  or  hers.  She  looked  at  him  with  ineffable  scorn, 
and  told  him  to  flee  from  her  whom  he  had  deprived 
of  character  and  friends  and  abandoned  to  the  mercy  of 
her  foes.  The  bitterness  with  which  she  reviled  Struen- 
see on  this  occasion,  and  her  constant  opposition  to  his 
wishes  of  withdrawing,  are  supposed  to  have  had  con- 
siderable weight  in  producing  the  confessions,  made 
after  his  arrest,  that  incriminated  the  unfortunate 
Queen.  The  haughty,  violent  temper  of  Matilda,  whose 
mind  was  constantly  perturbed,  rendered  her  less  ami- 
able in  Struensee's  eyes  than  she,  in  their  first  private 
interview,  appeared  at  Travendahl ;  and  the  want  of 
courage  in  Struensee,  made  her,  who  was  a  heroine,  look 
on  him  with  contempt :  so  true  it  is  that  there  can  be 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  107 

no  steady  friendship  that  has  its  foundation  laid  in 
vice. 

The  Queen  Dowager,  Juliana  Maria,  now  began  to 
show  herself  again ;  her  hopes  once  more  revived  ;  she 
saw  with  secret  delight  the  embers  of  discontent  glowing 
in  every  quarter  of  the  kingdom ;  and  if  she  could  not 
procure  the  Crown  for  her  son  Frederick,  now  in  his 
nineteenth  year,  she  hoped,  during  the  life  of  Christian 
VII.,  to  attain  the  sole  exercise  of  sovereign  power. 

She  affected  to  feel  the  utmost  commiseration  for 
the  King,  and  fear  for  his  safety.  Her  agents  in- 
dustriously spread  alarming  reports  as  to  the  designs 
of  "  the  Doctor's  cabal,"  as  Struensee's  partisans  were 
ironically  called.  She  bore  the  most  deadly  hatred 
towards  Count  Rantzau  ;  but  finding  he  was  violently 
enraged  against  Struensee  and  Brandt,  Juliana  em- 
ployed her  confidant,  Guldberg,  to  sound  him;  giving 
the  strictest  charge  to  impress  on  the  Count  that  it 
was  was  not  for  political  power  she  was  seeking,  but 
to  save  the  life  of  the  King ;  and  that  she  should 
advise  the  establishment  of  a  Council,  consisting  of 
Count  Rantzau  and  the  old  nobility,  to  govern  the 
State.  She  never  hinted  one  word  as  to  any  intention 
of  proceeding  criminally  against  Matilda.  Juliana  was 
an  adept  in  dissimulation,  and  in  this  difficult  nego- 
tiation she  exceeded  all  former  transactions  of  a 
treacherous  nature.  Neither  Matilda  nor  her  guilty 
favourite  felt  tranquil  ;  it  was  impossible  but  that  in- 
numerable occurrences  must  have  reminded  her  of  her 
danger,  and  filled  her  conscious  bosom  with  the  most 
gloomy  apprehensions. 


108  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

When  she  travelled,  or  went  out  in  the  woods, 
Matilda  was  constantly  attended  by  running  footmen.1 
One  of  those  gaudy  appendages  of  Royalty  detected 
Matilda  and  Struensee  in  a  situation  that  admitted  of 
no  misconstruction.2  Soon  afterwards  Juliana  Maria 
paid  an  evening  visit  to  Matilda  at  Hirschholm.  She 
travelled  by  torchlight,  and  was  attended  by  Cham- 
berlain Blucher.3  This  was  the  last  visit  she  ever 
paid  Matilda,  and  its  insidious  object  was,  during  the 
bustle  occasioned  by  her  arrival,  to  afford   Blucher  an 

i  They  were  usually  apprenticed  seven  years,  and  performed 
astonishing  feats  of  activity  and  strength,  and  would  commonly 
leap  a  six-barred  gate  without  touching.  Queen  Matilda  would 
suffer  them  to  run  before  her  carriage  all  the  way  to  Hirschholm, 
a  distance  of  fifteen  English  miles,  without  rest ;  this  they  per- 
formed in  two  hours !  Sometimes  she  would  let  them  get  up 
behind  her  coach,  but  not  often.  Their  livery  was  very  costly, 
with  plates  of  gold  in  their  caps.  They  had  pensions  when  they 
grew  old.  Struensee  had  two,  and  ten  other  servants  ;  he  changed 
his  liveries  three  times,  as  he  was  advanced  ;  the  last  was  green 
velvet.  His  running  footmen  wore  buff  jackets,  sea-green  scarfs, 
green  velvet  caps,  with  a  plate  of  solid  gold  with  Struensee's  crest 
embossed  on  the  front. 

2  "  Of  her  (Matilda's)  intimate  connection  with  her  favourite 
minister  there  seems  not  to  be  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.  It  was 
one  of  the  chief  articles  in  the  impeachment  of  Struensee  ; — not 
denied  by  him,  and  partially  confessed  by  herself.  I  have  heard 
one  of  her  pages  assert  'that  while  playing  in  the  knight's  saloon 
in  the  palace,  he  accidentally  fell  against  a  concealed  door  in  the 
wall,'  (no  doubt  under  the  hangings)  'which,  leading  to  a  long 
passage,  discovered  the  Queen  and  her  paramour  tctc-d-tcte,  to 
their  no  small  surprise  and  mortification.'" — Wolff's  "Northern 
Summer,"  p.  81. 

3  A  blood  relation  to  Marshal  Blucher.  The  then  Chamber- 
lain is,  or  recently  was,  living  at  Altena.  An  elderly  gentleman, 
of  this  name  and  office,  probably  the  same  individual,  is  mentioned 
in  the  "  Northern  Tour,"  p.  98. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  109 

opportunity  of  gathering  what  information  he  could 
from  treacherous  attendants  relative  to  the  proceed- 
ings of  "  the  Doctor's  cabal."  She  stopped  only  a 
short  time,  but  her  behaviour  to  the  reigning  Queen 
was  more  than  ever  nattering  and  kind  ;  yet,  not  four 
hours  before,  with  well-dissembled  sorrow,  she  had 
expressed  her  abhorrence  of  the  utter  depravity  of 
Matilda,  whom  she  affected  to  consider  as  a  woman 
lost  to  every  sense  of  honour  and  decency ! 

The  Court  lingered  at  Fredericksborg,  apparently 
unwilling  to  venture  into  Copenhagen  until  the  Regi- 
ment of  Falkenskjold1  should  have  arrived,  which  was 
intended  to  have  relieved  the  foot  guards.  Matilda 
and  Struensee  saw  themselves  beset  on  every  side 
with  the  most  pressing  dangers.  Their  frequent 
consultations  usually  terminated  in  the  hope  of  some 
favourable  contingency  removing  the  source  of  their 
apprehensions,  but  without  being  able  to  adopt  any 
specific  remedy. 

Whilst  dismay  reigned  in  the  palace  of  Matilda, 
confidence  and  hope  enlivened  the  countenance  of 
Juliana  at  Fredensborg.  Count  Rantzau  had  joined 
her  party.  The  high  rank,  talent,  and  courage  of 
Rantzau  rendered  the  acquisition  invaluable.  They 
met  in  Copenhagen ;  Juliana  having,  to  favour  her 
machinations,  entered  the  city  before  Matilda.  After 
their     first     compliments     were      over,     Juliana     said : 

1  General  Falkenskjold,  Colonel  of  the  Regiment  of  Zealand, 
was  a  man  of  very  arbitrary,  haughty,  and  overbearing  manners ; 
he  was  about  forty-five  years  of  age,  tall  and  well  made  ;  full 
six  feet  high.      He  lived  in  lodgings  in  Copenhagen. 


IIO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

"  Struensee  dabbles  in  half  measures,  and  he  will 
inevitably  fall ;  he  should  have  ordered  me  to  reside 
at  Fredensborg  and  have  sent  your  Excellency  to 
Aschberg."  At  this  interview  Struensee  and  Brandt 
were  destined  to  destruction.  The  Queen-Dowager, 
however,  pledged  her  word  of  honour  not  to  attempt 
anything  against  the  personal  safety  of  the  reigning 
Queen.  As  soon  as  Rantzau  was  gone,  Prince 
Frederick,  who  had  been  very  reserved  during  the  in- 
terview, asked  his  mother  how  she  could  behave  so 
friendly  to  a  man  towards  whom  her  heart  was  filled 
with  so  much  enmity  ?  "  Because  I  wish  to  ruin 
him,"  was  her  laconic  reply. 

That  which  accelerated  the  blow  that  levelled 
Struensee  with  the  dust,  was  the  ring  that  Rantzau 
had  given  to  Christian  VII.  at  Aschberg.  It  was 
returned  to  the  Count  by  Colonel  Kohler  Banner. 
"  The  King  has  sent  you  this,"  said  he,  "  and  claims 
the  performance  of  your  promise."  Rantzau  seized 
the  token,  and  laying  his  hand  upon  his  sword,  said 
to  the  Colonel  :  "  Inform  my  King,  if  in  your  power, 
that  my  life  and  fortune  are  at  his  service."  Count 
Rantzau  was,  in  his  heart,  true  and  loyal  to  the  King ; 
Colonel  Banner  was  a  partisan  of  Juliana. 

As  the  decisive  moment  approached,  rumours  of  the 
foulest  kind  were  circulated  every  hour,  directed  against 
Queen  Matilda  and  her  ministers.  The  life  of  the  King 
was  said  to  be  in  jeopardy,  and  Count  Brandt  was 
accused  of  beating  and  horse-whipping  his  Sovereign. 
Christian  VII.  was  once  the  darling  of  the  people;  the 
licentious  conduct  of  Matilda  and  her  Court  had  lost  her 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  III 

the  respect  of  the  best  class  of  people,  and  rendered  the 
lower  class  furious  in  their  hatred  of  her  and  her  devoted 

minion.    She  was  called  "  The  great  w ,"  and  Chris- 

tiansborg  "  The  great  b y  house."     All  their  former 

affection  for  their  King  returned ;  and  even  Juliana 
became  in  some  measure  popular,  because  in  her  they 
recognised  the  enemy  of  Matilda,  Struensee  and  Brandt. 
How  changed  was  the  scene  within  six  short  years,  when 
the  cruel  Juliana  was  execrated  and  driven  into  retire- 
ment, and  the  young  and  fair  Matilda  the  object  of  love 
and  reverence,  and  greeted  with  acclamation  wherever 
she  appeared.  Yet  was  Juliana  incomparably  more 
guilty  than  the  reigning  Queen,  since  to  her  deadly 
malice  the  frailties  and  the  vices  of  Christian  were 
imputable ;  and  if  Matilda  had  had  a  man  for  her 
husband,  possessed  of  common  sense  and  a  sound 
body,  in  all  probability  she  would  have  gone  through 
life  without  reproach  or  disgrace. 

Although  the  accounts  published  in  Germany  and 
England  are  radically  erroneous  in  many  important 
particulars,  yet  the  statement  that  the  French  and 
Swedish  ministers  warned  Struensee  of  his  danger 
from  the  machinations  of  Rantzau  and  Kohler  Banner 
are  perfectly  correct.1  But  so  well  was  Struensee 
aware  of  the  rooted  antipathy  that  Rantzau  cherished 
in  his  bosom  towards  Juliana,  that  he  could  not  persuade 
himself  any  possible  circumstance  could  induce  him  to 
support  her  party  ;  and  without  Rantzau's  help,  and 
as  long  as  he  remained    master  of  the    King's   person, 

i   Vide  "  Latrobe,"  pp.  156,  157,  158. 


112  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Struensee  flattered  himself  his  power  could  not  be 
overthrown.  The  work  so  ably  translated  by  M. 
Latrobe  is  also  extremely  unjust  to  the  memory  of 
Count  Rantzau,  with  whose  motives  and  character  the 
author  was  evidently  unacquainted,  or  determined  to 
traduce.  He  even  acknowledges  that  Rantzau,  not 
long  before  the  catastrophe  took  place,  waited  upon 
Struensee  and  remonstrated  with  him  on  the  state  of 
affairs,  and  that  "Struensee  met  his  arguments  with 
objections ;  his  protestations  of  candour  with  thanks ; 
and  his  warnings  with  the  usual  smile  of  contempt  of 
a  short-sighted  mind."  Yet,  he  accuses  Rantzau  of  a 
want  of  sincerity,  and,  to  complete  his  own  blunders, 
stigmatises  him  as  a  coward  ! 

Count  Rantzau's  character  for  courage  and  gener- 
osity, the  splendour  of  his  name,  and  influence  over  the 
soldiery,  far  more  than  the  example  of  either  Kohler 
Banner  or  Eichstedt,  determined  the  subaltern  officers 
and  troops  to  support  an  attempt  that  they  were  taught 
to  believe  was  called  for  by  their  captive  Monarch. 
Early  in  the  morning  of  the  17th  January,  1772, 
Rantzau  showed  them  the  ring  that  Kohler  Banner 
had  brought  to  him,  and  told  them  with  powerful 
emotion  when  he  had  put  that  ring  on  the  finger  of 
their  King.  It  was  this  circumstance  that  principally 
determined  their  conduct.  Rantzau,  seeing  that  their 
feelings  were  powerfully  moved,  sent  a  trusty  messen- 
ger to  Juliana  to  tell  her  to  be  prepared  at  two  o'clock  ; 
and  having  posted  the  troops  as  he  thought  most  pru- 
dent, he  led  a  detachment  into  the  interior  of  the  palace 
to   release    the    King   and   arrest    the    Queen    Matilda, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  II3 

Struensee  and  Brandt ;  whilst  measures  were  taken  to 
secure  the  brothers  of  Struensee  and  all  his  principal 
adherents  who  resided  in  the  city. 

An  enterprise  more  hazardous  could  scarcely  be 
conceived,  and  nothing  but  the  consummate  prudence, 
courage  and  address  which  Count  Rantzau  displayed 
on  this  trying  occasion  could  have  carried  it  into  execu- 
tion. The  Count  had  pledged  his  word  of  honour  to 
the  King  to  hasten  to  his  aid  at  the  hour  of  peril ;  and 
his  King  had  claimed  the  performance  of  that  engage- 
ment ;  but  his  intellect  wTas  so  feeble,  and  he  was 
known  to  be  so  completely  awed  by  the  discipline  to 
which  he  had  long  been  subjected,  that  it  was  not  at 
all  improbable  he  should  either  totally  forget,  or  disown, 
what  he  had  done.  In  case  of  failure,  an  ignominious 
death  awaited  Rantzau  ;  and  if  successful,  he  was  well 
aware  that  it  was  too  probable  that  the  sovereignty 
that  he  was  about  to  wrest  for  ever  from  the  unsteady 
hand  of  the  voluptuous  Struensee  would  be  transferred 
to  Juliana.  Count  Rantzau  did  not  risk  himself  by  any 
communication  with  the  troops  till  the  moment  of  action 
had  arrived.  Juliana,  like  a  tigress,  was  waiting  in 
breathless  anxiety  the  eventful  moment.  Kohler 
Banner  and  Eichstedt  were  employed  in  receiving  the 
reports  brought  by  Guldberg,  and  watching  the 
residence  of  the  rest  of  the  destined  victims.  Matilda, 
Struensee  and  Brandt,  exhausted  by  pleasure,  had 
sunk  into  profound  repose,  from  which  they  were  to 
be  awakened  to  behold  the  frightful  abyss  that  yawned 
to  receive  them. 

On  the  night  of  the  16th  of  January  a  ball  and 
vol.  1  8 


114  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

masquerade  was  given  by  the  Court.  Matilda,  mag- 
nificently dressed,  and  full  of  spirits,  danced  with 
Count  Struensee,  also  with  Prince  Frederick,  and  con- 
versed with  his  treacherous,  black-hearted  mother,  who 
seemed  more  than  usually  civil  and  attentive.  As 
soon  as  Count  Rantzau  appeared,  the  Queen-Dowager 
and  her  son  watched  intently  every  glance  of  his  eye 
and  every  step  he  took.  As  he  passed  the  King, 
Rantzau  bowed,  but  did  not  offer  to  approach.  The 
King  laughed,  began  jumping  about,  and  ran  to  his 
friend  Gourmand,  that  lay  stretched  on  a  magnificent 
sofa.  Patting  him  on  the  head,  the  King  said  aloud, 
"  Min  fortrorligste  ven  "  (My  most  trusty  of  friends). 
Rantzau  fully  understood  the  meaning  of  this  signal,  and 
felt  his  confidence  reassured  ;  but  again  and  again  was 
his  heart  ready  to  burst  as  he  looked  at  the  Queen,  at 
Struensee,  at  Brandt,  and  reflected  on  the  horrors  in 
which  a  few  short  hours  would  involve  them.  There 
was,  however,  no  room  for  compromise  or  parley ;  the 
die  must  be  cast,  and  he  abide  the  issue.  The  ball 
was  closed  by  the  Queen  and  Prince  Frederick.  The 
Queen,  attended  by  Struensee,  retired  to  her  apartments 
for  the  last  time.  Struensee  must  have  gone  to  the 
Queen's  room,  for  there  his  white  bear-skin  cloak  was 
found  a  few  hours  after.  She  must  have  descended  by 
means  of  the  secret  staircase  to  Struensee's  apartment, 
where  the  guilty  pair  had  their  last  tete-d-tite,  and 
separated  never  to  meet  again. 

The  young  Norwegian  valet,  whom  Matilda  had 
imprisoned  in  the  Blue  Tower  for  helping  the  Crown 
Prince   to  get   up   when    he    had    tumbled,   slept   in   an 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  II5 

ante-room  adjoining  his  master's,  Count  Struensee,  and 
was  lying  on  a  sofa,  waiting  to  undress  his  master. 
It  must  be  supposed  that  at  such  a  crisis  this  intelligent 
young  man  saw  and  heard  enough  to  convince  him 
that,  from  secret  conspiracy  or  open  insurrection,  his 
master  was  in  imminent  danger  ;  to  which  causes  the 
singular  dream  he  had  at  that  critical  moment  was 
probably  owing ;  for  whilst  the  Queen  and  Struensee 
were  enjoying  the  last  few  moments  that  fate  allotted 
those  guilty  victims  of  unhallowed  passion  should  pass 
together,  the  valet  dreamt  that  he  saw  Godsckau,  the 
State  executioner,  embracing  Struensee,  whose  features 
bespoke  the  utmost  horror  and  agony :  presently  he 
saw  Queen  Matilda  dressed  most  magnificently,  with 
Struensee  by  her  side,  seated  under  a  canopy  of  state ; 
then  his  wandering  imagination  carried  him  to  the 
custom-house  stairs,  and  he  thought  he  saw  the 
Queen  Matilda,  Struensee,  Brandt,  Lady  Gohler,  and 
the  principal  persons  attached  to  the  Court,  approach- 
ing in  a  magnificent  barge  which,  in  a  moment,  went 
to  pieces,  and  the  persons  in  it  seemed  lost,  or 
struggling  with  the  waves ;  amongst  them  he  saw 
Matilda,  who  screamed  aloud,  "Save  me!  save  me! 
Struensee  drags  me  down  !  "  The  young  valet,  full  of 
horror,  stretched  out  his  arm  to  reach  her  amongst 
the  wreck,  when  the  bell  above  his  head  was  rung. 
He  suddenly  awoke,  his  cheeks  wet  with  the  tears  he 
had  shed  ;  his  limbs  still  shook,  and  he  trembled  as  he 
obeyed  the  call  to  undress  his  master.  Just  as  he 
entered  Struensee's  room  he  heard  the  private  door 
shut,   and  also  the    retiring   step    of   Matilda,  who  had 

8—2 


Il6  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

just  left  the  Count,  who,  surprised  at  the  affright 
and  dismay  so  visible  on  his  face,  said,  "  Ernestus  ! 
what  ails  you  ?  what  has  alarmed  you  ? "  The  poor 
fellow  could  scarcely  speak  till  a  flood  of  tears  came 
to  his  relief.  Apprehensive  that  he  might  faint  away, 
Struensee  took  his  hand  and  felt  his  pulse,  which 
was  high  and  throbbing ;  to  compose  which  he  took 
up  a  small  silver-mounted  medicine  case  that  stood 
by  the  table,  and  gave  the  valet  some  drops  in  a 
glass  of  water,  which  presently  revived  him.  The 
Count  was  still  in  the  masquerade  dress  in  which  he 
had  returned  from  the  French  theatre  where  the  ball  had 
been  held,  which  was  within  the  walls  of  Christians- 
borg.  He  looked  remarkably  well.  His  face  flushed 
with  health  and  pleasure,  and  his  fine  hair  rather  dis- 
hevelled. As  the  valet  undressed  him,  he  asked  what 
dream  had  frightened  him  so  much  ?  Ernestus  re- 
mained silent.  The  Count  repeated  his  request ; 
when,  dropping  the  executioner  and  the  Queen's  ex- 
clamation, Ernestus  told  the  rest.  Struensee  smiled, 
and  appeared  thoughtful;   but  presently  he  said,  "You 

must    go   and   see    Mademoiselle  in    the  morning ; 

her  handsome  face  will  soon  set  all  to  rights 
again."1  Struensee,  as  was  his  custom,  after  he  had 
lain  down,  took  his  book  in  his  hand  to  read  himself 
asleep.2  His  valet,  having  a  master-key,  locked  the 
door  on   the  outside  and  retired  to  his  own   bed.     His 


i  This  was  a  gay  young  lady,  belonging  to  Matilda's  train,  whose 
hair  the  young  valet  had  dressed  previous  to  her  appearing  at  Court, 
and  with  whom  Ernestus  was  supposed  to  stand  in  high  favour. 

2  Pope's  "  Abelard  "  and  "Eloisa." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I  1 7 

sleep  was,  however,  still  perturbed  and  unsound ;  he 
thought  he  heard  strange  voices  and  the  footsteps  of 
many  persons  passing  and  repassing ;  at  last  he  dis- 
tinctly heard  someone  endeavouring  to  open,  as  it  were 
with  an  iron  instrument,  the  outer  door  of  his  room. 
His  terrors  now  became  realities ;  he  leaped  out  of 
bed  and  approached  the  door  to  listen  to  those  without ; 
but,  softly  as  he  moved,  his  steps  were  heard,  and  in 
a  low  voice  he  was  commanded  in  the  King's  name 
to  open  the  door  on  pain  of  instant  death.  It  is  not 
wonderful  that  the  young  man,  instead  of  alarming 
his  master,  obeyed  this  formidable  summons,  and  gave 
admittance  to  his  enemies.  In  an  instant,  but  yet 
without  noise  or  tumult,  Colonel  Kohler  Banner,1 
dressed  in  full  uniform  (being  red  turned  up  with 
black),  with  two  inferior  officers,  and  Captain  Dissentin, 
of  the  Norwegian  Regiment,  stepped  within;  two  soldiers 
held  each  a  cocked  pistol  to  his  head,  and  another 
pointed  a  sword  to  his  breast ;  whilst  the  Colonel, 
bearing  a  wax  taper  in  his  hand,  anxiously,  yet 
softly  exclaimed,  "  Have  you  awoke  the  Count  ? " 
"  I  have  not."  "  You  are  sure  of  that  ?  Remember, 
you  are  a  State  prisoner,  and  your  life  pays  the 
forfeit  if  you  tell  me  falsehoods."  The  Colonel  then 
went    to    the    door    of   Struensee's    room;3    finding    it 

1  Colonel  Kohler  Banner  used  to  pay  the  utmost  homage  to 
Count  Struensee,  and  frequently  assisted  at  his  ministerial  dinners. 
He  was,  at  that  time,  the  secret  agent  of  Juliana  and  Guldberg.  In 
his  person  he  was  about  five  feet  ten  inches  high  ;  middle  aged ;  dark 
complexion,  and  cursed  with  a  base  and  treacherous  heart. 

2  Count  Struensee's  apartment  was  furnished  in  a  style  of  regal 
magnificence ;  the  mirrors  were  large  and  of  the  purest  glass ;  the 


Il8  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

fast,  he  said  to  the  valet,  "  Have  you  a  key  ?  "  "  Yes, 
your  Excellency,  I  have  a  master-key."  "  Then  open 
the  door  as  softly  as  possible."  Ernestus  obeyed,  and 
Colonel  Banner  was  the  first  who  entered,  the  valet 
by  his  side ;  there  were  three  inferior  officers,  each 
Avith  a  drawn  sword  in  his  right,  and  a  wax  light  in 
his  left,  hand.  The  Count  slept  so  soundly  that  he 
did  not  awake  with  all  this  noise  and  blaze  of  tapers. 
He  was  lying  upon  his  right  side,  his  head  upon  his 
arm.  The  book  he  had  been  reading  lay  on  the  floor. 
After  a  moment's  pause,  during  which  Kohler  Banner 
stood    gazing    sternly    on    the    unconscious    culprit,    he 

most  common  utensils  of  silver,  or  silver  gilt.  The  Royal  suite  of 
rooms  above  the  Mezzanine  story  (entresol)  were  of  extraordinary 
height,  by  which  means  the  Mezzanine  story  (middle  stories)  were 
necessarily  very  low.  Thus,  Count  Struensee's  and  Brandt's  rooms 
were  only  eight  feet  high.  Count  Struensee's  bedroom  was  hung 
with  rich  figured  damask ;  the  furniture  of  his  bed  and  of  the 
windows  was  purple  velvet,  richly  trimmed  with  deep  gold  fringe  ; 
the  canopy  was  formed  in  the  shape  of  a  Royal  crown.  Between 
his  magnificent  dressing-table  and  the  foot  of  his  superb  bed,  covered 
by  the  costly  hangings,  was  a  concealed  door  that  opened  to  a  stair- 
case leading  to  the  Queen's  apartment,  by  which  means,  unknown 
to  their  attendants,  they  could  visit  each  other.  Struensee  was 
particularly  nice  in  his  person  and  dress,  and  used  the  most  costly 
perfumes  profusely.  His  valet  slept  in  an  ante-room,  through  which 
lay  the  way  to  the  Count's  bed-chamber.  The  valet's  bed  furniture 
was  magnificent,  being  sky-blue  silk  trimmed  with  silver  lace  and 
fringe ;  it  was  concealed  by  a  superb  screen.  A  bell  was  hung  over 
this  bed,  the  pull  to  which  was  in  the  Count's  room.  There  was  a 
secret  closet  in  this  room,  also  concealed  by  the  hangings,  in  which 
Ernestus  had  presence  of  mind  to  throw  some  papers  and  other 
articles  before  he  opened  the  door  to  Colonel  Kohler  Banner.  After 
the  execution  of  the  unfortunate  Struensee,  the  faithful  valet  found 
means  to  get  into  the  room  he  had  formerly  occupied,  where  he 
found  the  papers  safe ;  which,  had  they  been  discovered  by  his 
enemies,  would  have  at  once  criminated  more  than  one  captive. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  Iig 

approached,  and  touching  Struensee  on  the  shoulder, 
awoke  him  to  all  the  horrors  of  sudden  and  sure 
perdition  ! ' 

His  consternation  may  be  much  easier  conceived 
than  described.  Suddenly  he  rose  half  up,  and,  wild 
with  terror,  said,  "  What's  all  this  ?  In  God's  name, 
what  is  all  this  about  ?  "  Colonel  Kohler  Banner,  in 
a  loud  and  stern  voice,  answered  him:  "You  are  the 
King's  prisoner ;  behold  the  Royal  warrant  for  your 
arrest.2  You  must  dress  yourself  without  delay  and 
come  with  me."  "You  will  allow  me  to  find  clothes 
to  dress  with  ?  "  said  Struensee.  Banner  then  per- 
mitted the  valet  to  go  to  his  master's  wardrobe,  who 
hastily  snatched  a  light  blue  morning  frock,  with  round 
cuffs,  that  had  been  made  in  London,  of  Manchester 
velvet,  and  a  waistcoat  of  the  same ; :i  but  such  was 
his  confusion,  he  could  not  find  any  small-clothes,  and 

i  The  Queen  and  Struensee  returned  to  Christianborg  Palace, 
where  Juliana  and  all  the  Royal  Family  had  apartments;  and  where, 
in  case  of  an  insurrection,  they  were  likely  to  be  taken  or  massacred. 
To  save  appearances  they  waited  for  Falkenskjold's  regiment,  when 
General  Eichstedt's  dragoons  and  Colonel  Kohler  Banner's  infantry 
regiment  could  have  been  removed;  and  then  the  devoted  pair 
intended  to  have  set  out  on  a  tour  through  the  Duchies  of  Sleiswick 
and  Holstein :  the  delay  was  fatal.  Had  their  intentions  been 
executed  it  might  have  proved  so  to  the  unfortunate  Christian  VII. 
— Editor. 

2  The  account  translated  by  Latrobe  is  radically  false  in  many 
important  particulars  respecting  the  arrest  of  Struensee ;  which 
errors  have  been  successively  copied  into  almost  every  work  pub- 
lished since  that  time.  Colonel  Kohler  Banner  positively  did  not 
seize  the  Count  by  the  throat,  nor  shake  him ;  and  he  had  in  his 
hand  the  King's  warrant  for  Struensee's  arrest. 

3  The  unfortunate  Count  went  to  the  place  of  execution  dressed 
in  these  same  clothes. 


120  SECRET  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  Count  was  forced  to  put  on  the  pair  of  pink-coloured 
breeches1  which  he  had  worn  at  the  masquerade.  It 
was  a  cold  wintery  morning,  and  his  valet,  who  felt 
as  much  for  his  master  as  for  himself,  asked  the 
Colonel  to  allow  him  to  go,  with  a  guard,  to  the 
Queen's  room  for  the  Count's  fur  cloak.2  Captain 
Dissentin  accompanied  him,  bearing  a  torch  in  one 
hand  and  a  drawn  sword  in  the  other.  Count 
Rantzau 3   and    General    Eichstedt 4    were    there,    with 

i  Jens  Wolffe,  Esq.,  Consul-General  in  London,  was  the  chief 
of  an  opulent  and  long-established  commercial  firm,  which  was 
ultimately  overwhelmed  by  national  misfortunes  that  could  neither 
be  foreseen  by  their  victims  nor  prevented.  He  was  deservedly 
respected  for  benevolence  of  heart,  public  spirit,  and  high  endow- 
ments. The  Editor  regrets  having  to  notice  the  errors  that 
through  inadvertence  have  crept  into  the  pages  of  such  a  writer. 
M.  Wolffe  collected  his  materials  relative  to  the  catastrophe  in 
question  full  forty  years  subsequent  to  its  occurrence.  To  that 
circumstance,  and  to  the  want  of  better  information  in  his  inform- 
ants, the  string  of  errors  that  appear  on  pages  84  and  85  are 
imputable.  The  story  of  Count  Struensee  reproaching  his  valet 
relative  to  a  pelisse,  and  the  vriessche  rok  (blanket  coat),  are  totally 
groundless.  If  M.  Wolffe  were  to  make  a  further  enquiry,  he 
would  be  convinced  of  having  been  deceived. 

2  In  Latrobe's  translation  it  is  implied  that  Struensee  had  been 
arrested  and  sent  to  prison  before  the  Queen  was  arrested ;  but 
this  fact  proves  the  contrary,  and  that  the  Queen  was  first  taken 
into  custody. 

3  At  this  period  (1772)  Count  Rantzau  was  about  sixty  years 
of  age ;  his  features  were  good ;  complexion  florid ;  and  when 
young,  he  must  have  been  very  handsome.  He  had  a  slight  cast 
in  his  eyes ;  he  was  nearly  six  feet  high ;  his  hair  had  become 
grey  through  age,  but  to  hide  that  unyouthful  mark  the  old  beau 
used  black  pomatum  (pomatum  thickened  with  hair-powder 
burnt  black).  His  manners  were  highly  polished.  When  he  ar- 
rested the  young  Queen  he  had  on  a  scarlet  surtout  lined  and 
trimmed  with  fur;  a  commander-in-chief's  regimental  coat  be- 
neath, red  turned  up  with  buff;   his  under  dress  was  silk. 

4  General  Eichstedt   was   merely  a   creature    of  Juliana's ;   he 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  121 

several  inferior  military  officers  bearing  swords  and 
tapers  in  their  hands.  Rantzau,  and  all  the  officers, 
were  uncovered.  His  appearance  denoted  excessive 
mental  agitation.  Probably  his  mental  sufferings 
were  as  intense  as  those  of  his  Royal  victim.  The 
Queen,  who  appeared  almost  as  tall  and  robust 
as  the  Count,  was  standing  with  her  back  towards 
him,  and  one  of  her  women  was  then  lacing  her 
stays.  When  the  Queen  heard  the  well-known  voice 
of  Struensee's  valet  she  turned  towards  him  and  said  : 
"  Tell  your  master  to  emulate  his  Queen,  and  repel 
insult  with  scorn  and  defiance."  Her  face  was  greatly 
flushed ;  her  features  distorted  with  rage  and  grief, 
and  her  fine  tresses,  all  in  disorder,  floated  round  her 
bosom,  reaching  below  her  waist ;  her  female  attend- 
ants looked  like  pale  pictures  of  despair.  The  valet 
gazed  mournfully ;  he  was  about  to  reply,  when 
Count  Rantzau  fiercely  exclaimed  :  "  Silence  !  if  you 
speak,  you  die!"  The  young  man,  dismayed  and 
confounded,  bowed  humbly  to  the  Queen  as  he  was 
hurried  back  to  his  master,  whom  he  found  dressed, 
and  greatly  agitated.  Perceiving  that  his  valet  had 
nothing  on  but  his  shirt  and  small-clothes,1  he   said  to 

had  not  one  bright  or  amiable  trait  in  his  character ;  but  was 
coarse  in  his  manner,  and,  speaking  comparatively,  illiterate.  In 
his  person  he  was  rather  short  and  stout ;  about  forty  years  of 
age ;  arbitrary  towards  all  beneath  him ;  towards  the  Queen- 
Dowager,  her  son,  and  Count  Rantzau,  fawning  and  servile.  He 
lived  in  1772  in  the  Kol  Torvet.  He  commanded  the  regiment 
of  dragoons,  a  company  of  which  escorted  the  unfortunate  Matilda 
to  Cronenborg  Castle. 

1    The  anxiety  shown  by  Count  Struensee  relative  to  his  valet 
was    occasioned   by  seeing   him   stand   nearly  undressed  on  a  cold 


122  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Colonel  Kohler  Banner:  "Why  is  my  poor  servant 
thus  kept  naked  ?  In  God's  name,  let  him  have  his 
clothes."'  Upon  which  he  was  permitted  to  dress ; 
and  whilst  Colonel  Banner  and  his  officers  were 
hurrying  Struensee  to  the  guard-room,  where  Brandt 
had  already  arrived,  the  valet  contrived  to  take  up 
his  master's  gold  English  repeater,  his  ring  and 
brooch,  both  of  diamonds  of  great  value,  the  gifts  of 
the  Queen,1  and  also  the  purse  that  the  Count  had 
laid  on  the  table  near  his  bedside,  containing  about 
eighty  gold  ducats  ;  those  he  secured,  as  he  thought, 
for  the  benefit  of  his  master.  In  a  few  minutes  he 
was  called  below.  There  he  saw  the  guard-room 
blazing  with  tapers,  and  the  two  State  prisoners,  who 
were  kept  separate.  Presently  two  hackney  coaches 
drove  up  to  the  door.  Struensee,  accompanied  by 
officers  armed  with  loaded  pistols  and  drawn  swords, 
was  put  into  the  first  coach,  and  Brandt  into  the 
second.  Escorted  by  a  strong  party  of  dragoons,  the 
cavalcade  proceeded  from  Christiansborg  Palace,  over 
the  Hoey  Bro  (High  Bridge),  along  the  Stora 
Stradet,  Kongens  Nye  Torv,  and  Norgen  Gaden  to 
the  citadel.      Here  the  two  prisoners  were  confined  in 


winter's  morning.  Perhaps  it  was  this  circumstance,  imperfects- 
remembered,  that  led  to  the  mistakes  that  are  mentioned  in  a 
preceding  note.  It  was  a  striking  feature  in  this  sad  spectacle, 
that  a  valet  half-dressed  went  to  the  chamber  of  the  Queen  and 
saw  her  in  the  same  state,  her  room  full  of  military  officers. 

i  The  repeater  was  of  the  most  superb  and  costly  kind,  set 
round  with  a  double  row  of  brilliants  ;  with  the  chains  and  seals 
it  was  worth  three  hundred  pounds.  The  diamond  ring  and 
brooch  cost  fifteen  hundred  guineas ! 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  123 

separate  rooms  belonging  to  the  officers,  and  two 
officers,  who  were  relieved  every  two  hours,  were 
constantly  in  the  room,  and  two  sentinels  outside  the 
door.  During  their  progress  to  the  citadel  through 
the  principal  parts  of  the  city,  Struensee  wept,  wrung 
his  hands,  and  showed  the  utmost  grief  and  de- 
spondency, whilst  the  companion  of  his  misfortunes, 
though  not  the  witness  of  his  weakness,  Count  Brandt,1 
displayed  that  high  spirit  which  never  forsook  him, 
not  even  when  Godsckau,  the  executioner,  laid  his 
hands  upon  him  to  mutilate  his  body  and  take  his 
life. 


1  Count  Enevold  Brandt  was  descended  from  a  noble,  though 
not  a  titled  family.  He  was  a  far  superior  character  to  Struensee, 
and  if  he  had  been  the  favoured  lover  in  all  probability  he  might 
have  avoided  the  fate  that  befell  his  friend  Struensee,  whose 
greatest  misfortune  was  his  being  a  foreigner.  Count  Brandt,  in 
person,  was  moderately  tall,  lightly  made  ;  a  fine  military  figure ; 
he  was  greatly  marked  by  the  small-pox ;  his  eyes,  hair,  and 
complexion  dark  ;  lively  and  gay  to  an  extreme  ;  he  dressed  with 
great  elegance ;  was  munificent  and  generous ;  a  general  lover, 
and  the  idol  of  the  ladies  of  Matilda's  giddy  Court.  The  portrait 
given  in  the  "Conversion  of  Struensee"  is  a  wretched  perform- 
ance, not  at  all  resembling  the  animated  and  voluptuous  original. 


124  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 


CHAPTER   VII 

Critical  situation  of  Juliana  Maria,  Count  Rantzau  and 
the  other  conspirators — The  courage  of  Queen  Matilda 
— Cowardice  of  Struensee — A  singular  riot :  its  source 
developed — The    execution   of  Brandt    and    Struensee. 

In  the  arrest  of  the  Queen,  Count  Rantzau  had 
occasion  for  all  his  fortitude  and  presence  of  mind. 
Difficulties  beset  him  every  step  he  moved.  When 
he  reached  the  King's  bedroom,  the  glare  of  the 
tapers  alarming  him  as  he  awoke,  seemed  to  drive  all 
recollection  of  Rantzau  from  his  mind,  whilst  the 
sight  of  the  Queen-Dowager  and  her  son  called  to 
the  King's  remembrance  that  inbred  dread  and  hatred 
which  he  had  ever  felt  towards  them.  He  turned, 
with  marks  of  fierce  resentment  and  strong  aversion, 
from  that  insidious  and  cruel  woman  then  kneeling 
by  his  bedside.  Count  Rantzau  saw  the  peril  he  was 
in,  and  the  alarm  of  the  Queen-Dowager  and  her  son 
was  such  that  they  seemed  petrified  with  horror. 
The  Count  motioned  them  to  retire  from  the  bed- 
side ;  and  then,  approaching,  he  told  the  King  that 
he  had  obeyed  his  orders,  and  rushed  to  his  assist- 
ance. "My  death,  Sire,"  said  he,  "which  will  be 
the    sure   result    of    your   indecision,    concerns    me   less 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I25 

than  the  fate  which  may  befall  your  Majesty  after  I 
am  gone."  Weak  and  irresolute,  the  King  kept  say- 
ing: "What  can  I  do  ?  what  can  I  do?"  "To  save 
your  life,  Sire,  you  must  order  Struensee  and  Brandt 
into  arrest."  After  a  few  minutes'  pause,  during  which 
he  repeated  the  same  ejaculations  as  before,  the  King 
signed  those  instruments  that  Guldberg x  had  prepared. 
The  destiny  of  the  reigning  Queen  had  occasioned 
long  discussions  between  Juliana  Maria  and  the 
Count ;  the  former  being  eager  to  proceed  against 
her  with  every  possible  severity,  whilst  Count  Rant- 
zau  as  firmly  refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
the  business  if  the  Queen-Dowager  acted  as  though 
personal  aggrandisement  and  the  gratification  of  venge- 
ful feelings  were  the  only  objects  she  had  in  view. 
Finding  Rantzau  resolute,  the  Queen- Dowager  as- 
sented to  everything  that  he  proposed,  being  secretly 
determined  to  humble  him  as   soon   as  he  should  have 


1  M.  Guldberg,  then  about  forty  years  of  age,  was  to  Juliana, 
perhaps,  what  Struensee  was  to  Matilda;  but  Juliana  was  an  arch 
dissembler,  and  Guldberg  was  steady  and  discreet.  Like  Struensee, 
he  was  of  plebeian  extraction,  and  the  son  of  a  Norwegian  clergy- 
man— he  had  served  in  the  church  at  Roeskild.  He  possessed  many 
good,  and  some  amiable  qualities,  which,  joined  to  his  learning  and 
talents,  procured  him  the  appointment  of  tutor  to  Prince  Frederick, 
son  to  Juliana;  a  step  that  led  to  the  confidence  he  afterwards 
enjoyed  with  that  Princess.  He  was  devoted  to  study  and  busi- 
ness. During  Struensee's  short-lived  greatness,  M.  Guldberg  was 
a  frequent  visitor,  perhaps  a  treacherous  guest.  After  the  fall  of 
Struensee,  he  rose  upon  his  ruins,  and  became  a  minister  of  State. 
It  was  rather  singular  that  he  married  two  sisters,  the  daughters  of 
a  miller  at  Fredensborg.  After  his  dismissal,  on  the  28th  of  March, 
1784,  by  the  son  of  Matilda,  he  was  allowed  a  pension  of  4,500 
crowns  per  annum,  and  remained  high  steward  to  his  patron,  Prince 
Frederick. 


126  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

put  it  in  her  power.  Guldberg,  Eichstedt  and  Kohler 
Banner,  like  zealous  partisans,  supported  the  wishes  of 
the  Queen-Dowager ;  and  they  urged  Count  Rantzau 
to  consider  the  destruction  that  Queen  Matilda  might 
bring  upon  them  all  if  she  were  left  at  liberty.  Nor 
did  they  forget  to  urge  the  danger  there  was  of 
Matilda  falling  a  victim  to  popular  fury,  as  soon  as 
Struensee  and  Brandt,  with  their  cabal  (as  these  con- 
spirators called  the  partisans  of  Matilda),  should  be 
overthrown.  Rantzau  gave  these  arguments  due  con- 
sideration ;  and,  partly  to  prevent  Matilda  from  assist- 
ing her  favourites,  and  no  less  for  her  own  personal 
safety  during  the  hurricane  that  was  approaching,  he 
at  last  agreed  to  her  arrest  and  temporary  confine- 
ment. 

To  bring  the  King  to  this  point  was  necessary  to 
their  safety;  but,  also,  very  likely  to  be  refused.  Rant- 
zau insisted  that  the  Queen-Dowager  and  her  son 
should  accompany  him  to  the  King's  apartment.  This 
was  done  to  prevent  that  guileful  woman  from  sacri- 
ficing him  to  her  safety  in  case  of  failure;  and  her 
hated  presence  had  the  effect  already  described.  It 
was  probable  that  Christian  never  loved  Matilda,  and 
quite  certain  that  he  feared  her  more  than  any  human 
being  besides.  When,  therefore,  Rantzau  presented 
the  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  the  Queen,  he  took  every 
possible  pains  to  convince  the  wavering  and  irresolute 
King  that  the  temporary  arrest  of  his  consort  was  as 
requisite  for  her  safety  as  for  the  safety  of  the  State. 
Christian  threw  the  paper  from  him  with  considerable 
emotion  ;    and  if  at  that  moment  Matilda  had  appeared 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I27 

in  his  presence,  there  is  no  doubt  but  the  guards 
would  have  led  the  Queen -Dowager  and  her  son, 
Rantzau,  Guldberg,  Eichstedt  and  Kohler  Banner,  to 
the  dungeons  intended  for  their  foes :  but  she,  at 
whose  glance  the  puerile  King  would  have  drooped 
his  head,  was  absent,  and  the  soldiers  laid  down  their 
arms.  After  long  hesitation,  and  after  his  fears  had 
been  awakened  of  her  being  torn  in  pieces  by  the 
infuriated  populace,  the  arguments  of  Rantzau  pre- 
vailed, and  the  fate  of  the  unhappy  Queen  was 
sealed.  These  were  the  real  causes  of  the  arrest  of 
Queen  Matilda,  whose  personal  conduct  under  the 
dreadful  reverse  that  awaited  her  is  detailed  with 
tolerable  correctness  in  the  German  work  that  was 
translated  by  Latrobe,  and  which  created  so  strong 
a    sensation    in    Great    Britain. 

The  Queen,  like  the  Cherokee  Chief,  though  over- 
powered was  not  subdued.  The  King  had  kept  them 
dallying  so  long,  that  Rantzau  was  afraid  daylight 
would  appear  before  he  should  be  able  to  get  the 
Queen  removed.  Matilda  heard  him  say  to  Eich- 
stedt:  "We  must  make  hast'e,  it  will  soon  be  day;" 
and  turning  suddenly  upon  him,  in  a  firm  and  em- 
phatic manner,  she  said:  "Miserable  man,  well  may 
you  dread  the  light !  The  deed  of  this  night  will  for 
ever  blacken  your  fame.  Your  fall  will  quickly  follow 
mine.  My  errors  will  be  obliterated  by  my  suffer- 
ings :  the  fair  and  the  brave,  the  mild  and  the 
virtuous,  will  shed  a  tear  over  my  sad  destiny ;  whilst 
thou  shalt  perish  unpitied,  and  be  followed  to  thy 
tomb  with  execration.     March  !   detested,  hoary-headed 


128  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

traitor !    lead  me  to  my  dungeon.     Lead  me  anywhere, 
so  that  mine  eyes  are  spared  thy  hated  presence." 

The  Count  heard  her  with  profound  silence,  and 
laying  his  hand  on  his  bosom,  said  aloud :  "  Madam, 
your  reproaches  I  do  not  feel,  because  I  know  I  do 
not  deserve  them.  I  was  called  by  my  King  to  come 
to  his  aid  ;  and  so  may  God  judge  and  deal  with  me, 
as  I  speak  truth  when  I  aver  my  bosom  is  free  from 
revenge,  and  filled  with  ardent  wishes  for  your  Ma- 
jesty's present  safety  and  future  happiness."  Scarcely 
half  dressed,  and  wrapped  up  in  a  large  roquclauvc, 
looking  with  a  stern  indifference  on  the  surrounding 
officers,  she  descended  to  the  gate,  where  a  coach  and 
four,  surrounded  by  a  strong  body  of  dragoons,-  was 
waiting  to  escort  her  to  Cronenborg  Castle.  Count 
Rantzau,  bareheaded,  attended  her  to  the  coach.  Just 
as  she  put  her  foot  on  the  steps,  the  enraged  Queen, 
as  her  last  benediction,  struck  the  Count  a  violent 
slap  with  her  open  hand  on  his  cheek,  exclaiming : 
"  Take  this,  thou  accursed  traitor  ;  and  remember,  this 
treason  shall  cost  thee  thy  head  !  "  The  Count,  who 
must  have  felt  very  uncomfortable,  made  her  a  pro- 
found bow  as  the  door  was  closed,  and  said,  loud 
enough  to  be  heard  by  all  around  :  "I  am  no  traitor, 
Madam.  I  fear  God,  I  love  and  honour  the  King, 
and  wish  your  Majesty  a  good  journey."  The  word 
of  command  being  given,  the  escort  set  off.  An 
officer  with  a  drawn  sword  sat  opposite  to  the  Queen, 
who  looked  round  her  with  a  smile  of  contempt,  mingled 
with  despair.  The  light  of  numerous  torches,  the 
glare  of  brandished  swords,  the  prancing  of  the  steeds, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I2g 

the  rattle  of  the  coach,  above  all,  the  spectacle  of  a 
young  Queen  thus  treated,  formed  a  subject  interest- 
ing to  the  painter  or  the  poet,  and  never  to  be 
forgotten  by  those  by  whom  it  was  beheld.  When  * 
this  high-spirited  woman  first  entered  the  vast  portals 
of  that  stupendous  structure  that  now,  partly  shrouded 
in  darkness,  frowned  on  her  fallen  fortunes,  how  little 
did  she  dream  of  this  terrible  reverse  !  As  the  escort 
passed  the  portals  of  Copenhagen,  her  heart  began  to 
sink,  that  heretofore  had  been  sustained  in  that  ter- 
rible scene  by  pride  and  indignation.  When  she 
passed  Hirschholm  Palace,  she  was  observed  to  wrap 
her  face  in  her  large  veil  and  roquelaurc ;  her  bosom 
heaved,  and  in  spite  of  her  efforts,  she  sobbed 
audibly,  and  clasped  her  hands  together.  The  only 
consolation  her  misery  received  was  the  vicinity  of 
her  infant  daughter,  for  which  she  was  indebted  to 
the  firmness  of  Count  Rantzau,  whose  sufferings  and 
mortifications  endured  this  day  were  scarcely  to  have 
been   indemnified,    even    by    the    Crown    of    Denmark.1 


i  The  following  account  of  the  Queen's  conduct  is  taken  from 
the  translation  of  the  work  of  an  anonymous  German  author  before- 
mentioned  : 

"Count  Rantzau  and  Colonel  Eichstedt  went  with  some  officers 
to  the  apartment  of  the  Queen,  who,  alarmed  by  the  noise  in  her 
ante-chamber,  called  her  women,  and  in  the  paleness  of  their  counte- 
nances read  their  fear.  She  enquired  what  had  happened,  and  was 
at  length  told  that  Count  Rantzau,  in  her  ante-chamber,  demanded 
to  speak  with  her  on  the  part  of  the  King.  She  expressed  in  the 
most  affecting  manner  her  grief,  her  apprehension  that  she  was 
betrayed  and  ruined,  and  her  resignation.  Then,  acquiring  forti- 
tude, she  went  half-dressed  to  Rantzau,  who  read  the  order  of  the 
King,  which  she  heard  with  firmness  and  without  interrupting  him. 
VOL.    I  9 


I30  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

He  felt  dissatisfied  with  himself.  The  bitterness  of  the 
Queen's  taunts,  as  well  as  her  prophecies  of  his  speedy 
fall,  sank  deep  into  his  mind.  The  wretched  imbe- 
cility of  the  King ;  the  fawning  demeanour  of  the 
crafty  and  selfish  Juliana ;  the  vague  and  uncertain 
prospect  of  any  good,  either  to  his  King  or  country, 
arising  from  the  fall  of  Struensee ;  and  the  horrid 
doom  which  awaited  the  captives,  tended  to  shake 
his  mind  and  depress  his  spirits  with  gloomy  presenti- 
ments. 

To   the    King  showing  himself   from  the  balcony  of 

Being  still  unable  to  give  credit  to  it,  she  read  it  herself,  without 
betraying  any  mark  of  fear,  and  Rantzau  entreated  her  obedience 
to  the  order.  'An  order,'  said  she,  'of  which,  perhaps,  the  King 
himself  knows  nothing,  or  which  has  been  obtained  from  his  weak- 
ness by  the  most  horrid  perfidy.  No !  to  such  orders  a  Queen 
gives  no  obedience.'  Rantzau,  with  a  severe  air,  replied  that  his 
commission  would  permit  no  delay.  '  No  such  order,'  said  she, 
'  shall  be  executed  against  my  person  before  I  have  spoken  to  the 
King.  Let  me  go — I  must,  I  will  speak  to  him  ! '  At  these  words 
she  advanced  towards  the  door,  but  was  withheld  by  Rantzau,  who 
changed  his  entreaties  into  menaces.  '  Wretch  ! '  said  she,  '  is  this 
the  manner  of  a  subject  to  his  Queen  ? '  The  fierce  and  irritated 
Rantzau  gave  a  significant  look  to  his  officers,  of  whom  one,  more 
daring  than  the  rest,  advanced  towards  the  Queen.  She  tore  her- 
self from  his  hands,  and  called  loudly  for  help,  but  no  person  came. 
At  length,  being  alone  and  defenceless,  in  the  midst  of  armed  men, 
this  unhappy  Princess,  transported  with  rage,  ran  to  a  window, 
and  would  have  precipitated  herself  from  it,  but  she  was  withheld. 
They  endeavoured  to  carry  her  away,  and  she  defended  herself  till 
her  strength  and  recollection  failed.  When  she  recovered  herself 
and  perceived  no  means  of  escaping,  she  yielded,  and  was  allowed 
time  for  dressing;  after  which  she  was  conducted  to  the  carriage 
which  took  her  to  the  Castle  of  Cronenborg." 

By  comparing  this  with  the  preceding  particulars,  the  reader 
will  be  able  to  form  a  correct  judgment  of  the  conduct  of  Queen 
Matilda  and  Count  Rantzau. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  131 

his  palace  to  the  burghers  of  Copenhagen,  Count 
Rantzau  had  no  objection  ;  but  to  see  him  parade 
the  city,  accompanied  by  Juliana  and  Prince  Frederick; 
to  hear  a  hired  rabble  shout  in  honour  of  that  woman 
and  her  son,  filled  his  mind  with  disgust.  Now  that 
the  danger  was  over,  the  Queen-Dowager  soon  let 
Count  Rantzau  know  that  there  were  individuals 
whose  counsel  had  much  more  influence  with  her  than 
his.  This  was  particularly  exemplified  by  Juliana 
Maria  persisting  in  exhibiting  the  impotent  King  in 
gala  dress,  decking  him  with  the  richest  jewels,  accom- 
panied by  her  perfidious  son,  who  was  thus  exposed 
for  several  hours,  bowing  from  his  state-coach  to  the 
shouting  mob  on  either  side,  in  whose  clamorous 
shouts  the  name  of  Prince  Frederick  was  insidiously 
blended  with  the  King's.  Against  this  act  of  malignant 
indecency,  Count  Rantzau  in  vain  protested  ;  six  hours 
had  not  elapsed  before  that  nobleman  felt  that  all  his 
fears  were  likely  to  be  realised.  In  his  heart  he  re- 
gretted the  too  ardent  zeal  with  which  he  had  devoted 
himself  to  save  a  King  who  was  not  worthy  of  esteem 
or  respect. 

Whilst  this  indecent  farce  was  acting,  Guldberg 
and  Juliana  had  prepared  another  source  of  humiliation 
to  the  fallen  Queen,  and  of  gratification  of  that  fell 
spirit  of  hatred  and  vengeance  that  would  perhaps 
have  led  Juliana,  if  opportunity  had  served,  to  have 
washed  her  hands  in  the  heart's  blood  of  Matilda.  It 
was  chiefly  by  the  machinations  of  Guldberg  that  the 
city  was  filled  with  the  most  foul  and  outrageous 
violations     of     truth    respecting     the    licentiousness    of 

9—2 


I32  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Matilda's  Court,  which  was  certainly  too  gross  to  be 
defended,  though  it  fell  infinitely  short  of  the  exag- 
gerated picture  spread  by  a  cloud  of  base  emissaries 
hired  by  her  enemies.  What  peculiarly  marked  the 
quarter  whence  they  flowed  was  that  the  King  was 
no    less    the    object    of    abuse    than    the    Queen  ;     and 

whilst  the  latter  was  called  the  "W e  of  Babylon," 

the  "  Scarlet  w e,"  and  other  gross  and  opprobrious 

epithets,  the  King  was  accused  of  being  addicted  to 
the  worst  of  propensities.  It  was  affirmed  that,  to 
keep  him  quiet  whilst  Struensee  had  his  Queen, 
Brandt  provided  him  with  the  means  of  gratification  ! 
Such  were  the  scandalous  tales  circulated  amongst 
the  vulgar  to  weaken  their  attachment  to  the  King, 
and  rouse  their  passions  and  prejudices  to  the  utmost 
pitch  of  fury.  When  the  events  of  the  night  became 
known,  the  city  was  suddenly  thrown  into  rage,  con- 
fusion, and  dismay.  The  inhabitants  flocked  in  mul- 
titudes towards  the  King's  palace,  and  as  those 
reports  were  rapidly  circulated  through  the  country, 
thousands  upon  thousands  soon  rushed  to  the  city, 
increasing  the  uproar  and  confusion.  When  the  arrest 
of  Queen  Matilda  and  her  partisans  was  fully  under- 
stood, the  air  rang  with  the  opprobrious  epithets  be- 
stowed on  her  name.  The  most  fierce  and  dangerous 
of  the  rioters  were  the  sailors  and  their  wives,  and 
the  vulgar  inhabitants  of  St.  Anna's  quarter  towards 
the  Oster  Port.  They  seemed  in  a  manner  organised 
and     led     by     persons    whose     motions    they    obeyed. 

"  Now    the   great    b y   house   is    purified,"    said    the 

ringleaders,   "  let   us  proceed  to  the  purification   of   the 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  133 

city."  Lists  of  names  and  places  of  abode  were 
immediately  handed  about.  The  mob  divided  itself 
into  masses,  and  attacked  and  gutted  every  house  of 
ill-fame  and  the  apartment  of  the  poorest  prostitute 
in  the  city  ;  acting  so  methodically,  that  if  there  were 
only  a  single  room  inhabited  by  a  courtesan,  they 
seized  her  goods  and  broke  the  doors  and  windows, 
without  injuring  the  other  rooms  or  any  other  property. 
The  leaders  openly  sold  to  the  best  bidder  what  they 
could  of  the  plunder,  and  divided  the  proceeds ;  the 
rest  they  burnt  in  heaps  in  the  different  open  spaces 
of  the  city.  When  they  had  completed  this  mischief, 
of  which  Juliana  was  the  authoress,  being  full  of  drink 
and  courage,  they  took  it  into  their  heads  to  march  to- 
wards the  citadel  to  demand  the  prisoners ;  and  but 
for  the  firmness  of  Count  Rantzau,  under  the  vile  pre- 
text of  fear  and  incompetent  power  to  resist,  their 
vengeance  would  have  been  saturated  with  blood, 
and  the  most  unpopular  prisoners  given  up  to  their 
fury.  The  Count  rode  boldly  amongst  the  maddened 
rabble ;  told  them  that  strict  justice  should  be  done, 
but  that  the  cannon  of  the  citadel  should  be  turned 
on  them  if  they  dared  to  persist.  Such  was  the  fury 
that  animated  the  savage,  prejudiced  multitude  against 
the  Queen,  whose  safety  would  have  been  very  pre- 
carious if  she  had  not  been  sent  away. 

During  the  first  day  of  his  imprisonment,  Struensee 
seemed  stupefied ;  he  did  not  eat ;  he  drank  only  a 
little  wine  and  water ;  he  wept,  but  not  excessively 
until  he  saw  his  valet  enter,  whose  captivity  called  a 
flood    of   tears    to    the    relief    of    his    master's    bosom. 


134  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

The  Count,  to  whom  no  one  was  permitted  to  speak, 
was  so  overcome  by  the  honest  grief  depicted  in  the 
face  of  his  young  valet,  that  he  took  him  by  the  hand, 
kissed  his  cheek,  and  said :  "  Poor  fellow !  I  in- 
tended to  have  provided  for  thee ;  I  delayed  it  too 
long,  not  wishing  to  lose  thy  services  ;  and  now  thou 
art  the  companion  of  my  prison  !  Can'st  thou  forgive 
me  for  this?"  The  young  man,  affected  to  a  degree 
of  intense  sympathy,  sobbing  and  crying  like  a  child, 
threw  himself  at  his  master's  feet,  and,  embracing  his 
knees,  said :  "  Oh,  God !  Oh,  God !  If  I  had  not 
opened  the  door  my  beloved  master  might  have 
escaped"!1  The  officers  who  were  present  could 
scarcely  refrain  from  shedding  tears.  At  last,  Stru- 
ensee,  a  little  relieved,  raised  the  poor  fellow  from  his 
suppliant  posture,  and  took,  at  his  persuasion,  a  cup 
of  coffee.  The  officers  not  understanding  German, 
Ernestus  told  the  Count,  whilst  resting  his  head  on 
his  knees,  that  he  had  secured  his  gold  repeater, 
diamond  pin  and  brooch,  and  also  his  purse,  which 
he  slipped  into  the  Count's  hand ;  that  Count  Brandt 
was  in  the  next  room,  the  Queen  sent   to  Cronenborg, 

i  There  appears  some  uncertainty  as  to  this  point.  If  the  secret 
staircase  led  to  the  Queen's  rooms  the  Count  would  inevitably  have 
been  seized  there ;  if  it  led  to  a  gallery  or  passage  communicating 
with  the  grand  suite  of  rooms,  in  that  case  he  might  have  escaped 
from  the  palace,  but  not  from  the  city. 

Mr.  Wolffe,  in  his  interesting  work,  states  that  "  The  Queen 
endeavoured  to  make  her  escape  through  a  secret  passage,  but  on 
her  arrival  at  the  outer  door,  to  her  great  mortification,  found  it 
guarded  by  sentinels."  Vide  "Northern  Tour,"  p.  95.  This  sentence 
confirms  the  preceding  accounts  as  to  the  existence  of  a  secret  pas- 
sage, but  affords  no  further  elucidation  as  to  where  it  led. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I35 

the  Count's  brothers  and  friends  all  under  arrest;1  that 
his  papers,  as  also  his  property,  were  seized ;  and 
lastly,  he  mentioned  the  riots  of  which  he  had  been 
informed.  The  Count  was  dreadfully  agitated  at  this 
news ;  and  yet  he  did  not  expect  better.  The  purse 
he  contrived  to  hide  in  the  bed.  The  watch  and 
jewels  he  bade  his  valet  keep.  Fearful  lest  his  valet 
had  no  money,  Struensee  took  up  the  purse  to  give 
him  a  couple  of  ducats  ;  when,  owing  to  its  slipping, 
he  was  detected — a  fact  the  officers  dared  not  conceal. 
The  commandant,  a  lame,  short  old  man,2  soon  came, 
and    very    unceremoniously    searched    the    Count    and 

1  General  Falkenskjold  was  thrown,  in  the  depth  of  a  Northern 
winter,  into  a  narrow  and  damp  dungeon,  where  mutinous  or  dis- 
orderly seamen  were  usually  confined.  Some  friend  presented  a 
petition  to  Prince  Frederick,  praying  that  the  Colonel  might  be 
removed  to  a  prison  less  unwholesome.  The  author  whence  these 
particulars  have  been  borrowed*  attributed  to  Prince  Frederick  the 
following  sarcastic  and  inhuman  reply — namely,  "A  man  who  has 
fought  against  the  Turks  ought  to  be  sufficiently  hardened  to  bear 
any  situation."  There  was  a  double  sting  in  this  reply  ;  Falkenskjold 
having  served  in  the  recent  expedition  against  Algiers,  which  had 
totally  failed,  and  thereby  greatly  exasperated  the  public  mind  against 
the  principal  officers  concerned.  The  malice  of  Juliana  and  her 
partisans  was  particularly  bitter  against  this  officer,  who  was  firmly 
attached  to  Struensee,  and  who  would  have  prevented  this  cata- 
strophe if  his  regiment  had  arrived  in  time. 

Lady  Gohler,  with  the  General,  her  husband,  was  taken  to  the 
citadel  and  guarded  by  officers  placed  in  their  room  ;  she  was  shortly 
afterwards  removed  from  the  citadel  and  kept  close  prisoner  in  her 
own  house. 

2  When  Count  Struensee  was  delivered  as  a  State  criminal  to 
the  commandant,  the  former  said  in  a  mournful  tone  of  voice,  "I 
suppose  this  visit  is  totally  unexpected  by  you?"  "Not  at  all," 
replied  the  uncourteous  commandant ;  "  I  have  been  for  a  long  time 
past  constantly  expecting  your  Excellency." 

*  "  Latrobe,"  p.  20S. 


136  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

took  away  the  money.  He  then  rummaged  the  valet, 
and  thus  obtained  the  valuable  gold  watch  that  the 
Count  purchased  when  in  England,  the  diamond 
brooch,  a  present  from  Matilda,  that  cost  five  hundred 
guineas,  and  a  ring  that  cost  one  thousand  guineas. 
Such  was  the  magnificent  spoil  that  thus  casually 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  colonel-commandant,  Von 
Hoben,  a  coarse,  unfeeling  man,  and  an  obsequious 
creature  of  Eichstedt's.  Whether  it  was  done  to 
insult  or  gratify  the  Count,  a  silver-gilt  chamber-pot 
and  wash-hand  basin  were  brought  from  his  stately 
apartments,  forming  a  striking  contrast  with  the 
humble  furniture  of  his  present  abode,  and  still 
more  so  with  that  to  which  he  was  soon  removed. 

The  commandant,  addressing  the  Count,  told  him 
that  orders  were  given  to  allow  him  four  shillings 
sterling  per  diem,  and  two  for  his  attendant,1  and 
that  an  orderly-sergeant  was  in  attendance  to  fetch 
what  he  wanted.  Then,  turning  to  the  valet,  he 
said,  "  You  have  told  the  Count  of  the  riots,  as  well 
as  handed  him  a  purse  of  ducats  ;  now,  mark  what  I 
say,  if  during  your  confinement  and  attendance  you 
tell  the  Count  anything  whatever — even  if  it  rains — 
you  shall  be  sent  to  Gluckstadt,  condemned  to  per- 
petual slavery  and  chains.  As  the  Count  is  ignorant 
of    our    mother-tongue,    and    you    can    speak    German, 

1  Mr.  Wolffe  asserts:  "An  officer  remained  with  him  during 
the  time  of  his  confinement,  and  only  half-a-dollar  was  allowed  for 
his  daily  sustenance."  In  this  he  was  misinformed.  The  sum 
allowed  the  Count  proved  fully  sufficient  to  the  decent  supply  of 
his  wants.  It  was  equal  in  Copenhagen,  at  that  period,  to  twenty 
shillings  in  London,  in  1S12. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  1 37 

you  are  to  use  that  language,  and  loud  enough 
to  be  heard  by  the  sentinels  outside ;  and  care  will 
be  taken  that  the  officers  on  guard  shall  also  know 
German."  It  was  owing  to  Rantzau's  interference 
that  the  valets  of  the  two  Counts  were  confined  in 
the  same  prison  with  their  masters,  with  liberty  to 
wait  on  them.  He  was  afraid  they  would  otherwise 
be  exposed  to  continual  indignities,  if  not  to  private 
torture,  to  prevent  which  he  obtained  this  indulgence, 
a  privilege  which  ceased  when  judicial  proceedings 
were  begun,  and  when  those  priests  were  obtruded 
on  the  captives  who  were  the  abject  tools  of  Juliana 
and  Guldberg,  who  carried  to  their  employers  the 
confessions  extorted  from  the  prisoners,  and  operating 
on  the  frighted  imagination  of  Struensee,  led  him  to 
accuse   and    criminate   the    Queen.1     To  complete   their 

1  The  work  published  in  England  in  1776,  entitled  "  The  Con- 
version and  Death  of  Count  Struensee,"  by  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Munter,  and  that  of  Count  Enevold  Brandt,  by  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Hee,  convey  the  most  abject  idea  possible  of  both  those  in- 
dividuals. The  priests,  by  whom  it  was  compiled,  might,  in  their 
private  characters,  be  respectable.  It  would,  however,  be  credulous 
indeed  to  believe,  if  they  had  not  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  Juliana 
and  her  adherents,  they  would  have  been  selected  on  that  occasion  ; 
and  if  they  had  been  men  of  unbending  integrity,  they  never  would 
have  been  chosen.  These  extraordinary  confessions  must  be  re- 
garded as  an  ex  parte  statement  that,  previous  to  publication,  under- 
went the  revision  of  Struensee's  bitterest  enemy.  Many  of  the 
facts  bear  a  stamp  as  if  they  were  wrung  from  him  by  torture,  others 
by  the  hope  of  pardon.  Whilst  the  trial,  if  such  it  may  be  termed, 
was  going  on,  these  priests  visited  the  prisoners;  and  it  is  reason- 
able to  suppose  they  received  their  instructions  from  the  Minister 
of  Police,  and  shaped  their  questions  accordingly  :  they  passed 
alternately  from  the  office  of  the  Attorney-General  to  the  prisoners, 
and  vice  versa.     As  to  Mr.  Munter,  the  admissions  and  innuendoes 


I38  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

tender  mercies,  they  published  in  their  accounts  of 
his  conversion  such  monstrous  confessions  that,  if 
they  could  be  believed,  would  prove  Struensee  to 
have  been  the  most  depraved,  dastardly  and  base  of 
recorded  villains. 

Under  the  new  regulations,  discourse  became  irksome; 
but  the  presence  of  Ernestus,  who  was  lodged  in  a  room 
below  the  Count,  was  still  a  great  relief.  The  second 
night,  about  midnight,  the  valet  heard  heavy  steps 
ascending  the  stairs,  and  a  clank,  as  of  a  heap  of 
chains  or  fetters  thrown  on  the  floor  above  his  head. 
This  disturbance  filled  him  with  terror,  for  his  fears 
foreboded  that  those  irons  were  for  the  Count ;  and  he 
expected,  with  fear  and  trembling,  the  same  treatment. 
Presently  he  heard  the  sound  of  hammers,  as  if  rivet- 
ing on  the  fetters !  In  about  half-an-hour  the  noise 
ceased,  the  persons  descended,  and  passed  his  door 
without  stopping.  This  was  some  relief,  but  the 
thoughts  of  his  master's  fate  kept  him  awake  and  in 
tears   till   the    morning,    when    his    slumbers   were   dis- 


contained  in  his  share  of  the  work  represent  Struensee  as  the 
most  filthy  of  depraved  sensualists ;  whilst  Mr.  Hee,  who  was 
selected  by  the  Bishop  of  Harboe  to  visit  Count  Brandt,  writes 
thus  (p.  274)  :  "  The  third  confession  ivas  of  such  a  nature,  I  dare 
not  mention  it,  though  it  concerned  his  soul."  The  imagination  being 
left  to  revel  in  an  infinity  of  horrible  conclusions,  was  likely  to 
content  itself  with  this,  that  however  bad  it  might  conceive  the 
Count  to  be,  it  would  still  fall  short  of  his  guilt !  This  was,  in- 
deed, pursuing  the  victim  beyond  the  grave ;  and  if  Air.  Hee's 
motives  were  to  do  the  utmost  possible  injury  to  the  memory  of 
Count  Brandt,  he  unquestionably  adopted  the  most  certain  mode 
of  attaining  it.  This,  however,  is  a  conclusion  that  it  would  be 
illiberal,  and  perhaps  unjust,  to  insist  on. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I39 

turned  by  dreams  of  the  Count  being  beheaded  and 
quartered. 

When  he  was  permitted  to  leave  his  own  room, 
he  went  with  a  heavy  heart  to  the  Count.  The  looks 
of  the  sentinels,  who  sorrowfully  shook  their  heads, 
confirmed  his  apprehensions.  Struensee  strove  to  con- 
ceal his  disgrace,  covering  his  face  with  the  bed- 
clothes ;  but  this  could  not  last  long,  and  when  the 
eyes  of  the  master  and  man  met,  they  seemed  equally 
affected ;  both  looked  pale  and  haggard,  and  their 
eyes  were  swollen  by  crying.  The  valet  saw  with 
horror  and  dismay  that  the  Count  was  chained  to  a 
massive  iron  staple  driven  into  the  wall,  which  passed 
through  a  swivel  fixed  to  a  thick  ring  that  encircled 
his  right  ankle  and  his  left  wrist,  and  so  short  as 
barely  to  admit  him  to  reach  a  night-chair  that  stood 
at  the  foot  of  his  bed,  or  sit  on  the  bed's  side,  the 
staple  being  fixed  opposite  the  centre  of  the  bedstead. 
The  valet,  from  excess  of  grief,  could  scarcely  speak. 
Seizing  Struensee's  hand,  he  kissed  it  with  respectful 
affection,  and  bathed  with  his  tears  the  iron  ring 
that    encircled    his   master's   wrist.1 

Man  is  the  most  docile  of  all  animals  :  he  ac- 
commodates himself  to  all  situations,  and  the  most 
painful  privations !  Horror-stricken  as  was  this 
unhappy  voluptuary  when  first  he  saw  his  limbs 
enchained,    in     the    course    of    a    couple    of    days    his 

1  The  Count  hurt  the  wrist  of  his  right  hand  by  a  fall  from 
a  horse,  and  always  afterwards  wore  a  black  ribbon  round  it.  It 
was  on  that  account  the  ring  was  fastened  round  his  left  wrist 
Count  Brandt  was  chained  from  his  left  foot  to  his  right  wrist. 


I40  SECRET  HISTORY  OF  THE 

grief  subsided,  and  he  strove  to  relieve  himself  as 
much  as  possible  by  adapting  his  position  to  the 
length  of  his  chain.  He  also  began  to  take  his 
meals  with  something  like  an  appetite.  He  break- 
fasted about  nine,  off  coffee,  rolls,  tops  and  bottoms, 
and  biscuits ;  at  one  he  dined,  took  a  glass  of  light 
wine,  and  a  cup  of  coffee ;  drank  tea  about  five  or 
six  o'clock,  and  perhaps  ate  a  biscuit  or  two ;  he 
took  no  supper,  but  drank  a  glass  of  port  wine  and 
water.  He  was  always  very  abstemious  as  to  wines 
and  spirits ;  at  least,  after  he  was  placed  about  the 
King.  His  meat  was  cut  by  his  valet,  so  that  he 
might  eat  it  with  a  silver  fork  or  spoon,  not  being 
permitted  to  use  a  knife,  lest  he  should  commit 
suicide. 

The  Count  was  supplied  with  provisions  by  a 
French  restaurateur  named  Mareschal,  who  lived  on 
Reverentz  Gaarden,  Konung's  Nye  Torve  :  everything 
was  most  carefully  examined  before  it  was  served  up ; 
even  the  bread  was  cut  open,  and  the  napkins  shook 
and  held  up  to  the  light. 

For  the  more  secure  confinement  of  the  Count,  or 
(more  correctly  defining  its  object)  for  his  greater 
punishment,  he  was  soon  removed  from  the  officers' 
barrack  to  a  room  in  the  vallum,  behind  the  church, 
a  small,  low,  square  room,  with  one  small  window  in 
the  corner,  and  scarcely  fourteen  feet  square ;  the 
walls  were  bare ;  a  stump  bedstead,  a  bed  of  the 
meanest  kind,  a  table,  close-stool,  a  stove,  and  two 
chairs  for  the  officers  formed  the  miserable  furniture 
of   this   gloomy    place  ;     but    even    here,    as   if  to    tan- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  141 

talise  his  memory,  the  silver-gilt  chamber-pot  and 
washing-basin  were  allowed  him.  He  was  now 
chained  more  closely  than  before,  so  much  so  that 
it  was  with  difficulty  he  could  reach  the  night-chair 
or  sit  upright  on  the  side  of  his  bed.  This  was  the 
act  of  Juliana,  who  more  than  once,  after  the  valet 
was  dismissed,  gratified  her  malice  by  viewing  in 
disguise  the  wretched  victim  of  his  own  folly,  and  her 
treachery  ! 

Without  a  moment's  notice  the  valet  was  dis- 
missed ;  nor  was  he  allowed  to  speak  to,  or  take 
leave  of  his  master !  The  Count  was  so  much 
affected  by  his  loss  that  he  was  at  first  quite  in- 
consolable ;  it  was  even  reported  that  he  tried  to 
destroy  himself  by  forcing  the  silver  fork  down  his 
throat.  Immediately  after  this,  the  priests  and  lawyers 
commenced  their  operations,  working  alternately  on 
the  hopes  and  fears  of  the  unhappy  man,  who  was 
partly  persuaded  by  his  treacherous  spiritual  visitors, 
and  no  less  impelled  by  the  horrid  tortures  with 
which  he  was  threatened,  to  accuse  the  Queen  of 
having  first  seduced  him,  concealing  nothing  that 
ever  had  occurred  between  them.  This  act  of 
cowardice,  that  did  not  save  himself,  gave  the  finish- 
ing blow  to  the  slender  hopes  of  the  Queen  :  the 
triumph  of  Juliana  was  now  complete  ;  her  exultation 
knew  no  bounds,  and  had  not  fear  restrained  her,  she 
would  have  brought  both  the  Queen  and  the  Count 
to  trial  for  adultery  and  treason.  The  trial  of  Count 
Struensee  sufficiently  proves  how  greatly  the  law  was 
strained  to  reach  him  ;    as  to   Count   Brandt,  whatever 


I42  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

criminality  attached  to  his  motives,  no  act  of  high 
treason  was  proved,  and  his  sentence  remains  an  in- 
delible stain  and  disgrace  to  the  jurisprudence  of 
Denmark. 

Count  Struensee,  too  late,  saw  and  deplored  the 
weakness  into  which  he  had  fallen  in  making  unre- 
served confessions  to  priests,  who,  however  sanctified 
their  manners,  were  selected  and  sent  to  him  by  his 
mortal  enemies.  He  saw  that  the  hopes  of  mercy 
insidiously  held  out  were  false  and  illusive,  and  in- 
tended only  to  entangle  him  deeper  and  deeper;  many 
a  time  he  filled  with  dismay  the  officers  who  guarded 
him  when,  furiously  clanking  his  chains  and  grinding 
his  teeth,  he  cursed  his  own  baseness  and  the  perfidy 
of  his  enemies.  At  last,  seeing  nothing  but  an  igno- 
minious death  before  his  eyes,  without  any  means  of 
avoiding  it,  he  collected  the  scattered  energies  of  his 
mind  and  wrote,  on  a  limited  quantity  of  paper,  chained 
as  he  was,  his  defence,  entitled,  "  Verantwortung  des 
Grafen  Struensee,  an  die  Koniglicke  Commission " 
(i.e.,  "  The  Reply  of  Count  Struensee  to  the  King's 
Commissioners").  It  contains  thirty  pages  of  close 
letterpress;  and,  if  it  fails  to  justify  the  conduct  of 
Struensee,  it  shows  the  weakness  of  the  proofs  that 
the  commissioners  had  been  able  to  assemble,  and  the 
gross  absurdity  of  many  of  their  charges.  The  efforts 
of  the  Count  to  relieve  the  Crown  vassals  from  the 
accursed  yoke  called  feudal  services  were  construed 
as    an    act    of   high   treason x    against    the    sovereignty, 

1  "  Dass,  im  fall  jemand  sich  unterstehen  wurde,  etwas  auszu- 
wiirken  oder  an  sich  zu  bringen,  welches  aut  ein  oder  ander  weise, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I43 

because,  forsooth,  by  relieving  the  oppressed  and  de- 
graded farmers  and  labouring  poor,  the  sovereign 
power  must  be  diminished  ;  and  by  the  Act  that  con- 
ferred the  sovereign  power  on  Frederick  III.,  it  is 
declared  an  act  of  high  treason  in  anyone  who  should, 
by  any  means,  directly  or  indirectly  attempt  to  deprive 
that  King  or  his  successors  of  any  part  of  the  sovereign 
power !  Thence,  according  to  this  atrocious  doctrine 
of  the  Crown  lawyers  of  Denmark,  that  glorious  un- 
dertaking, the  fulfilment  of  which  has  since  immortal- 
ised the  memory  of  Count  Bernstorff  was  an  act  of 
high  treason  in  Count  Struensee  ! 

der  absolute  herrschaft  und  souverainen  macht  des  Konigszum 
nachtheil  und  Schmalerung  gereichen,  betrachtet,  und  diejenigen, 
die  dergleichen  erworben  oder  erschlichen  haben,  als  Beleidiger 
der  Majestat,  und  als  solcke,  welche  die  Koniglicke  monarchische 
gewalt  und  hoheit  groblich  angetastet,  gestraft  werden  soller." — 
Vide  "  Urtheil  in  Sachen  des  Generalfiscals,  wider  den  Grafen 
Struensee,"  p.   121. 

By  this  formidable  and  elastic  article  of  the  capitulation  made 
by  the  wise  burghers  of  Copenhagen  with  Frederick  III.,  it  is 
declared  an  act  of  high  treason  if,  at  any  future  period,  any  person 
should  by  any  means  attempt  to  diminish  the  despotic  power  of 
the  Crown !  Under  the  sanction  of  this  law,  Struensee  rendered 
himself  liable  to  the  death  of  a  traitor  by  every  act  of  political 
reformation  that  he  introduced. 

M.  Suhm,*  in  his  letter  addressed,  in  1772,  to  Christian  VII., 
after  glancing  his  eye  at  the  despotism  of  Denmark,  thus  defines 
the  boasted  freedom  of  us  English,  viz.  : 

"Thus  will  Denmark  become  the  land  of  liberty,  of  unlimited 
power,  of  peace,  plenty,  and  security  beyond  even  that  of  England ; 
where,  although  self-interested  and  servile  ministers  cannot  prevent 
the  voice  of  the  people  from  being  heard  at  the  foot  of  the  throne, 
yet,  by  their  influence,  they  prevent  its  effects,  and  cause  those  who 
are  the  interpreters  of  public  grievances,  and  who  stand  forward  in 
so  upright  a  cause,  to  be  thrown  into  prison." 

*  Counsellor  of  State. — Vide  "  Wolffe's  Northern  Tour,"  p.  S9. 


144  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Queen  Matilda  was  in  a  manner  annihilated  when 
the  confessions  of  Struensee — every  page  signed  with 
his  well-known  hand,  and  couched  in  the  most  offensive 
terms — were  laid  before  her.1  Struensee's  want  of  forti- 
tude decided  her  fate.  Count  Rantzau  was  at  first  in- 
credulous. When  a  copy  was  handed  to  him,  he  saw 
at  one  glance  that  the  Queen  Matilda  would  be  divorced 
and  banished,  and  Juliana  remain  sole  mistress  of  the 
field.  He  cursed  the  pusillanimity  of  Struensee,  and  his 
own  folly  and  precipitancy ;  for  it  could  not  escape  him 
that  the  day  must  soon  arrive  that  should  terminate 
in  disgrace  his  own  career. 

Struensee  had  many  amours  on  his  hands,  and  many 
a  ruined  female  too  late  bemoaned  her  fate.  He  had 
several  illegitimate  children,  for  none  of  whom  could  he 
make  the  least  provision,  not  a  single  dollar  of  all  his 
property  being  left  him.  His  brothers  afterwards  pro- 
vided for  those  children,  principally  in  Prussia. 

Ernestus,  the  valet,  strove  in  vain  to  obtain  an  in- 
terview with  his  master  previous  to  his  execution. 
Pleased  with  his  fidelity  to  Struensee,  Count  Rantzau 
took  him  into  his  service,  treating  him  in  a  manner 
peculiarly  kind.  As  the  fatal  day  approached,  the 
young  man  appeared  more  and  more  affected,  growing 
seriously  worse,  which  did  not  at  all  tend  to  cheer 
the    spirits   of   his   new   master,    who    remained    in    his 

i  The  account  published  in  Germany  in  1788,  and  translated  by 
Latrobe  the  next  year  (p.  242),  accuses  the  King's  commissioners  of 
having  signed  the  name  of  Carolina  Matilda  to  her  confession :  a 
charge  altogether  improbable,  as  they  were  possessed  of  super- 
abundant evidence  to  establish  every  fact  it  contained.  Sir  John 
Carr  copied  this  little  embellishment  into  his  "Northern  Summer." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I45 

house  on  the  28th  of  April  when  the  dreadful  sentence 
was  fulfilled.  He  used  every  argument  in  his  power 
to  tranquillise  the  mind  of  the  faithful  Norwegian, 
whose  fixed  sorrow  seemed  too  violent  to  admit  of 
consolation.  The  heaviest  calamities  are,  however, 
lightened  by  the  hand  of  time,  and  youth  is  the 
season  when  grief  is  soonest  forgotten  :  within  about 
a  week  after  the  execution,  a  wish  once  more  to  be- 
hold the  face  of  his  lamented  master  led  him  to  the 
place  where  his  mangled  remains  were  exhibited,1  and 

1  Mr.  Coxe,  ed.  1802,  vol.  ill.,  p.  1,  gives  the  following  account 
of  this  horrid  scene,  viz. : 

"  I  visited  the  spot  where  Struensee  and  Brandt  were  executed 
on  the  28th  of  March  (April),  1772.  The  scaffold  was  constructed 
near  the  east  gate  of  the  town  ;  and  they  were  conducted  to  the  spot 
in  two  separate  carriages,  through  an  immense  concourse  of  people. 
They  arrived  at  the  place  of  execution  about  11  o'clock.  Brandt 
first  alighted,  and  mounted  the  scaffold  with  a  slow  step  and  un- 
daunted mien  :  he  heard  his  sentence  read,  and  saw  his  coat  of  arms 
broken  without  expressing  the  least  emotion ;  he  then  prayed  for  a 
few  minutes,  and  spoke  a  few  words  to  the  people.  When  the 
executioner  approached  to  assist  him,"  (undress)  "he  said  to  him 
with  firmness,  yet  not  without  mildness,  '  Stand  off !  and  do  not 
presume  to  touch  me.'  Without  any  assistance  he  pulled  off  his 
pelisse  and  prepared  for  his  fate.  He  first  stretched  out  his  hand, 
and  bade  the  executioner  do  his  duty,  without  shrinking  from  the 
blow ;  it  was  struck  off,  and  his  head  severed  from  his  body  almost 
in  the  same  instant ;  his  body  was  then  quartered. 

"  During  this  dreadful  scene,  Struensee  remained  at  the  bottom 
of  the  scaffold"  (in  a  coach,  the  priest  conversing  and  praying  with 
him)  "anxiously  expecting  and  dreading  his  own  fate.  His  whole 
frame  trembled  when  Brandt's  blood  gushed  from  the  scaffold,  and 
he  was  so  agitated  that  he  could  not  walk  up  the  steps  without  help. 
He  said  nothing,  and  permitted  the  executioner  to  assist  him  in 
taking  off  his  cloak.  Instead  of  imitating  the  serenity  of  his  fellow- 
sufferer,  he  started  up  several  times  before  he  gave  the  signal,  drew 
back  his  hand,  which  was  shockingly  mangled  before  it  was  cut  oft", 
VOL.    I  IO 


I46  SECRET  HISTORY  OF  THE 

so  great  was  the  shock  his  sensibility  received  that 
he  fell  senseless  on  the  earth,  in  which  state  he  was 
found ;  and  after  he  revived  and  was  carried  home,  he 
was  confined  for  a  week  to  his  room.  From  that 
period  his  grief  wore   off,   but  whenever   he   recollected 


and  was  at  last  held  down  by  force  whilst  the  executioner  beheaded 
him." 

Such  is  Mr.  Coxe's  relation  of  Struensee's  last  moments,  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  of  his  last  sufferings ;  but  it  contains  a  few  errors 
that  are  excusable  in  describing  what  had  happened  several  years 
before.  Godsckau,  the  executioner,  was  bred  a  surgeon,  and  articled 
to  his  trade ;  wore  a  sword,  and  was  not  held  infamous ;  the  axes  he 
used  were  very  sharp  and  heavy  ;  he  had  two  by  his  side  covered  in 
bags.  Struensee  was  really  convulsed,  and  therefore  could  not  hold 
himself  still ;  his  face  and  right  arm  were  of  necessity  placed  in  the 
cavities  purposely  cut  into  the  block  to  receive  them ;  the  execu- 
tioner's assistant  held  the  hand  by  the  fingers,  and  the  head  by  the 
hair  :  it  were  no  wonder  if  the  headsman  was  a  little  nervous ;  but 
the  hand  was  struck  off  at  a  blow ;  the  axe  was  fixed  tight  in  the 
block  ;  he  seized  his  other,  and  the  neck  of  Struensee  being  very 
short,  part  of  his  chin  was  cut  off;  it  is  probable  he  was  insensible 
before  the  fatal  blow  was  given.  The  two  Counts  were  taken  to  the 
scaffold  in  their  irons  ;  and,  as  both  were  executed  on  one  block, 
Struensee  had  the  horrid  task  to  perform  of  laying  his  face  and 
hand  in  puddles  of  the  yet  reeking  blood  of  his  dearest  friend, 
whose  mangled  remains  lay  spread  around  !  A  stronger  mind  than 
Struensee  ever  possessed  might  have  been  totally  unhinged  by  the 
dreadful  scene  before  his  eyes. 

The  executioner  having  disembowelled  the  bodies,  cut  off  their 
private  parts,  and  divided  the  trunks  each  in  four  quarters ;  the 
entrails,  &c,  were  thrown  into  tubs  placed  on  the  scaffold  to  receive 
them  ;  the  heads,  and  right  hands,  and  bleeding  quarters,  were  then 
exposed  to  public  view  as  they  were  conveyed  all  through  the  city 
to  the  field  at  the  opposite  extremity,  where  they  were  to  be  left  to 
rot,  or  be  devoured  by  the  fowls  of  the  air.  For  each  body,  four 
stout  balks  were,  at  equal  distances,  driven  in  the  earth  ;  a  taller 
pole  was  fixed  in  the  centre  ;  the  entrails,  Sec,  were  buried  in  a 
hole  dug  at  the  foot  of  the  central  pole ;  on  the  top  the  head  was 
fixed,  the  pole  being  forced  up  inside  the  skull,  through  which  a 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I47 

the  sufferings  of  the  Count  and  of  Queen  Matilda, 
whom,  beyond  any  other  witness,  he  could  have 
criminated,  it  inspired  him  with  melancholy,  and  often 
cost  him  the  silent  tribute  of  a  tear. 


spike  was  driven  to  make  it  fast  ;  the  hand  was  nailed  to  a  piece 
of  board  placed  transversely  below  the  head ;  a  cart  or  waggon 
wheel  was  fixed  horizontally  on  the  top  of  each  of  the  four  posts  or 
pillars  on  which  a  quarter  of  the  body  was  exposed,  made  fast  to  the 
wheel  by  chains  of  iron.  In  this  manner  were  the  bodies  of  the  two 
Counts  disposed  of ;  and  such  was  the  horrid  spectacle  presented  to 
the  eyes  of  the  valet  when  he  reached  the  dismal  place.  Its  effect 
on  his  nerves  is  already  mentioned ;  but  Juliana  is  said  to  have  gone 
to  glut  her  insatiate  malice  with  the  sight.  It  was  rumoured, 
though  it  is  almost  too  horrible  for  belief,  that  she  said  to  Guldberg, 
"  It  is  not  quite  complete;  the  head  of  the  *  *  *  *  is  wanting 
to  make  it  so."  The  place  where  the  bodies  were  thus  exposed  was 
that  on  which  the  scavengers  emptied  all  the  filth  of  Copenhagen. 


IO 2 


I48  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 


CHAPTER    VIII 

Character  and  conduct  of  Count  Rantzau — His  disgrace — 
Benevolence  of  Matilda — Gratitude — Lex  talionis — Sensi- 
bility and  gratitude — A  fascinating  mistress — Visit  to  Zell — 
A  fair  penitent— Reconciliation  of  Matilda  and  Rantzau — 
Their  deaths. 

Whilst  the  sovereignty  was  in  reality  possessed 
and  exercised  by  Juliana  Maria,  taking  warning  by 
the  fate  of  Struensee,  she  suffered  the  Council  of  State 
to  be  re-established,  which,  with  the  exception  of 
Count  Rantzau,  was  composed  of  persons  devoted  to 
her  views.  The  members  consisted  of  the  elder 
Counts  de  Thott,  d'Osten  and  Rantzau  ;  de  Schak 
Ratlau,  and  Colonel  (now  General)  Eichstedt.  The 
King  soon  found  his  condition  was  not  bettered  ;  he 
changed  keepers,  and  that  was  all,  and  was  deprived 
of  some  gratifications  (and  perhaps  properly  enough) 
that  he  received  under  the  reign  of  his  consort. 

Juliana  took  care  that  the  day  and  hour,  and 
every  horrid  feature  of  Struensee's  execution,  should 
be  made  known  to  Queen  Matilda,  who  gener- 
ously pardoned  the  man  that  had  betrayed  her, 
imputing  his  conduct  to  the  effects  of  torture. 
She     passed     that     day     in     her     bedroom,     with     no 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I49 

other  company  than  her  infant,  now  doubly  dear  to 
her  desolate  mother ;  and  during  the  rest  of  her  life, 
though  the  name  was  never  heard  to  pass  her  lips, 
she  is  said,  at  her  palace  in  Zell,  to  have  devoted  its 
anniversary  to  fasting  and  prayer.  There  is  no  doubt 
but  her  fall  wrought  a  thorough  reformation  in  the 
mind  of  Matilda,  that  was  tainted  by  only  one  crime, 
and  that  one  flowing  from  the  criminality  of  others 
rather   than    the    innate   depravity   of  her   own    heart.1 

1  Latrobe  (p.  247),  speaking  of  the  Queen,  says,  "Her  sensi- 
bility rendered  her  capable  of  feeling  her  misery  in  its  utmost  extent ; 
and  the  expressions  in  which  she  depicted  the  excruciating  appre- 
hensions of  her  mind  to  her  counsellor  Uhldal,  fully  showed  with 
what  acuteness  she  felt  them." 

P.  268. — "  On  the  27th  of  May,  two  English  frigates  and  a  cutter 
arrived  at  Helsingor  (Elsineur),  and  on  the  30th  the  Queen  left 
Cronenborg.  The  last  moments  which  this  amiable  Queen  spent 
in  the  Danish  dominions  were  distressing  in  the  highest  degree. 
She  was  now  under  the  necessity  of  parting  from  her  only  comfort, 
the  only  object  of  her  affection  "  (untrue  and  improper),  "  her  infant 
daughter,  and  of  leaving  her  in  the  hands  of  her  sworn  enemies. 
She  fondly  pressed  for  some  minutes  the  babe  to  her  bosom,  and 
bedewed  it  with  a  shower  of  tears;  she  then  attempted  to  tear  herself 
away,  but  the  voice,  the  smiles,  the  endearing  motions  of  her  infant 
were  chains  that  irresistibly  drew  her  back.  At  last  she  called  up  all 
her  resolution,  took  her  once  more  into  her  arms  with  the  impetuous 
ardour  of  distracted  love,  imprinted  on  the  lips  of  the  babe  the  fare- 
well kiss,  and  returning  it  to  the  attendant,  she  exclaimed,  '  Away ! 
away !  I  now  possess  nothing  here ! '  One  of  the  King's  boats 
carried  her  to  the  first  frigate,  and  the  squadron  (commanded  by 
Captain  Macbride)  saluted  her  on  coming  on  board,  and  set  sail  for 
Stade,  whence  she  was  to  travel  by  land  to  Zell.  Unfortunately  the 
ships  were  detained  by  contrary  winds,  and  she  had  still,  for  a  whole 
day,  the  distressing  view  of  the  country  which  to  her  had  been  the 
source  of  so  many  misfortunes.  The  next  day  a  favourable  wind 
enabled  the  fleet  to  proceed. 

"  Thus  ended  this  memorable  revolution,  which  is  certainly  one 
of  the  most   extraordinary  political  events   in  the   history  of   any 


I50  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

In  spite  of  the  remonstrances  of  a  certain  great 
Power,  the  enemies  of  Matilda  persevered  in  proceed- 
ing to  divorce  her  from  the  King.  It  admitted  of  no 
very  favourable  construction  that  the  King,  her  brother, 
did  not  send  for  her  home  to  his  own  Court,  instead  of 
ordering  her  to  fix  her  residence  at  Zell — a  city,  the 
birthplace  of  her  unfortunate  ancestor,  who  wTas  im- 
mured so  many  years  in  the  Castle  of  Aller.  It  was 
a  measure  better  calculated  to  lead  an  erring  woman 
to  reflection  and  amendment  than  to  restore  a  dubious 
character  in  the  estimation  of  the  world.  Matilda  fell 
the  victim  of  an  ardent  constitution,  and  a  debauched, 
impotent,  and  depraved  husband,  whilst  that  detested 
and    detestable   step-mother,  whose    life    from    the    first 


country.  The  Princess,  who  thereby  lost  the  most  exalted  situation 
that  birth  or  fortune  can  bestow,  deserved  a  better  fate.  Truth 
cannot  deny,  nor  judgment  approve,  her  errors ;  but  the  heart 
must  allow  that  she  had  the  justest  claim  to  pity  and  indulgence. 
Her  sensibility  and  the  circumstances  into  which  she  was  thrown 
were  powerful  enemies  to  a  susceptible  mind,  whose  very  excellencies 
led  her  into  danger.  After  her  first  error,  the  good  qualities  of  her 
own  heart  hurried  her  into  the  embarrassments  in  which  she  was 
involved.  The  warmth  of  her  disposition  led  her  to  take  the  first 
step  upon  the  wrong  path ;  she  was  too  much  infatuated  to  be 
immediately  conscious  of  it,  and  she  had  proceeded  too  far  before 
she  discovered  her  mistake.  The  discovery  alarmed  her,  and  she 
strove  to  measure  back  her  steps ;  a  thousand  obstacles  opposed 
her  return ;  she  felt  herself  too  weak  to  overcome  them ;  her  first 
efforts  were  ill-judged,  and  only  led  her  deeper  into  error  ;  her  mind 
was  exceedingly  distressed,  to  alleviate  which  became  her  only 
study.  Dissipation  offered  her  the  readiest  assistance ;  and,  with 
the  activity  of  mind  peculiar  to  herself,  she  grasped  at  everything 
that  might  have  a  tendency  to  banish  reflection  from  her  bosom. 
Since  that  dreadful  moment  when  the  veil  was  torn  from  her  eyes, 
when  she  was  awakened  from  her  trance,  and  a  long  and  severe 
punishment   inflicted,   her  conduct   is   her   best   defence  with    the 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I5I 

year  of  her  arrival  in  Denmark  was  but  one  tissue  of 
criminal  intrigues  and  intended  murder,  was  permitted 
to  triumph  and  descend  to  the  tomb  unpunished, 
although  universally  detested. 

The  ignominious  confessions  of  Count  Struensee, 
however  extorted,  mortified  Rantzau  no  less  than  they 
delighted  Juliana.  I  state  that  which  Rantzau  him- 
self declared  when  I  affirm  that  his  sole  object  in 
arresting  the  Queen  was  to  prevent  her  from  rescu- 
ing Struensee,  and  to  save  her  from  the  machinations 
of  Juliana,  who,  artfully  working  on  the  prejudices  of 
the  very  lowest  of  the  people,  might  have  found  means 
to  have  destroyed  her  by  a  popular  insurrection.  The 
riots  that  took  place  in   the   city  immediately  after   the 


humane,  susceptible,  and  the  virtuous.  Cronenborg  witnessed 
in  this  Princess  the  most  sincere  repentance,  the  most  tender 
maternal  affection,  the  noblest  sympathy  with  her  unfortunate 
friends,  and  the  most  heroic  resignation  to  her  cruel  fate.  Zell 
afterwards  saw  in  her  the  purest  virtue  and  piety,  the  sweetest 
affability,  the  most  compassionate  heart,  and  a  degree  of  forti- 
tude in  her  distressing  situation  which  shed  a  soft  and  tranquil 
lustre  over  the  evening  of  her  life."  Such  is  M.  Latrobe's 
translation,  which  in  places  I  have  altered,  being  sure  he  mistook 
the  meaning  of  his  German  original.  He  mentions  the  evening 
of  Matilda's  life !  Matilda  perished  ere  its  meridian,  by  an 
infectious  fever.  At  Zell  she  paid  liberally  for  intelligence  as  to 
her  children  ;  and  she  had  waxen  figures  dressed  like  them,  which 
she  addressed  as  if  they  were  her  children.  Matilda  fell  a 
victim  to  her  gratitude.  A  running  footman,  named  Alexander 
Stuart,  who  had  attended  her  in  Denmark,  and  whom  her  enemies 
could  neither  suborn  nor  intimidate,  was  seized  with  a  putrid 
fever.  She  respected  this  man  on  account  of  his  fidelity  and 
attachment.  Insisting  on  seeing  him,  the  generous  woman  caught 
the  dire  infection,  and  died  a  few  days  after  poor  Stuart  had 
breathed  his  last. 


152  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

arrests  of  the  17th  of  January,  1772 — riots  that  were 
intended  to  insult  and  degrade  the  character  of  Matilda 
— afforded  incontestible  proofs  that  the  apprehensions 
of  Count  Rantzau  were  not  chimerical.  Rantzau,  no 
less  than  Juliana  and  her  cabal,  was  determined  on 
the  overthrow  of  Struensee  and  Brandt,  after  which 
Rantzau  fully  intended  to  have  restored  the  Queen. 
It  was  his  untoward  fate  to  succeed  in  every  step 
that  militated  against  that  greatly  unhappy  lady,  and 
to  fail  in  everything  that  was  kind  and  gracious  in 
his  intentions  towards  her. 

Count  Rantzau  found  himself  thwarted  in  every 
project  that  he  thought  would  be  of  use  to  his 
country,  and  forced  to  acquiesce  in  plans  that  he 
knew  to  be  founded  on  private  interest.  He  was 
compelled  either  to  be  the  slave  of  Juliana  and  her 
cabal,  or  to  oppose  her  when  he  knew  opposition 
would  not  avail.  Previous  to  the  arrest  of  Struensee 
the  Count  entertained  serious  thoughts  of  effecting  a 
radical  revolution  in  Denmark,  tearing  up  the  feudal 
system  by  the  roots,  and  establishing  a  representative 
Government  on  the  model  of  that  of  England.  This 
subject  had  often  been  discussed  between  him  and 
Struensee ;  and  if  he  could  have  induced  Struensee 
to  have  considered  him  (Rantzau)  as  the  head  of  the 
patriotic  party,  for  which  his  high  rank,  great 
possessions,  talents  and  experience  so  well  fitted  him, 
the  attempt  would  have  been  made ;  but  the  Queen 
ruled  the  King,  and  through  him  the  realm;  Struensee 
ruled  the  Queen,  and  was  de  facto  the  Sovereign  of 
Denmark:    blinded    by    pride,    fired    by    ambition,    he 


COURTS     OF    SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  1 53 

cut  with  Rantzau,  followed  his  own  crude  suggestions, 
and  perished  as  we  have  seen.  Instead  of  addressing 
anonymous  letters  to  Count  Brandt,  and  useless  re- 
monstrances to  Count  Struensee,  if  Rantzau  had 
demanded  an  audience  of  Matilda,  warned  her  of  her 
danger,  and  as  the  only  honourable  and  safe  means 
of  providing  for  her  safety,  had  proposed  such  a 
revolution,  it  is  very  probable  he  would  have  suc- 
ceeded ;  and  then  that  glorious  measure  was  sure  to 
have  been  carried ;  for  what  could  a  few  impotent 
nobles  have  done  against  the  united  power  of  the 
Crown,  the  army,  and  the  people  ? 

With  many  fine  qualities,  Count  Rantzau  had 
great  vices :  ambition  worked  to  the  full  as  power- 
fully in  him  as  in  Struensee;  and  in  his  morals  he  was 
equally  relaxed ;  he  became  jealous  of  Struensee ;  he 
thirsted  for  revenge  ;  to  obtain  which,  in  defiance 
of  the  dictates  of  common  prudence,  he  coalesced 
with  his  mortal  foe,  and  the  very  worst  woman  in 
Denmark.  In  that  coalition  the  Count  betrayed  a 
degree  of  weakness  that  deprived  him  of  all  claim 
to  sympathy ;  Struensee  fell  the  victim  of  his  own 
egotism  and  vanity,  Count  Rantzau  of  his  own  de- 
fective policy. 

The  banished  and  repudiated  Queen  was  scarcely 
seated  in  her  melancholy  residence  at  Zell — far  away 
from  her  friends,  her  children,  and  every  earthly 
pleasure — and  the  features  of  the  unhappy  Struensee 
were  yet  plainly  distinguishable,  grinning  horribly  and 
ghastly  above  the  waggon  wheels  on  which  was 
exhibited     his     black    and     decaying    quartered     body, 


154  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

when  that  stroke  which  Rantzau  foresaw,  and  Matilda 
foretold,  fell  upon  Count  Rantzau. 

The  Dowager-Queen  had  already  secured  a  majority 
of  votes  in  the  Council  in  favour  of  appointing  her 
son  Regent  of  the  kingdom  during  the  minority  of  the 
Crown  Prince  Frederick;  but  still,  without  Rantzau's 
concurrence  she  dared  not  risk  the  undertaking,  the 
real  object  of  which  was,  of  course,  her  own 
aggrandisement.  The  artful  calculator  conceived  that 
Rantzau  had  so  completely  committed  himself  by  his 
arrest  of  Queen  Matilda  that  he  must  by  necessity 
succumb,  and  forward  her  views,  whatever  they  might 
be. 

On  the  approach  of  summer,  the  Danish  Court, 
which,  after  the  fall  of  Matilda,  became  austere, 
formal  and  gloomy,  removed  from  the  winter  palace 
in  the  capital  to  Fredericksborg.  Juliana  then  took 
possession  of  Matilda's  State  rooms,  and  made  her 
minion  Guldberg  the  occupier  of  those  where  Struensee 
had  so  often  revelled  in  a  flood  of  voluptuousness. 

Her  chamberlain,  Blucher,  took  a  note  written  by 
Juliana,  and  dictated  in  very  flattering  terms,  requesting 
the  attendance  of  Count  Rantzau  the  next  day,  to 
spend  the  day  and  pass  the  night  at  that  palace. 

The  Count  ordered  his  vis-a-vis  and  four,  a  change 
of  linen  and  clothes,  and  attended  by  his  Norwegian 
valet,  drove  to  the  grand  entrance,  dressed  en  gala. 
The  moment  his  name  was  announced,  Prince  Frederick 
went  to  the  head  of  the  grand  staircase  to  receive  him, 
and  whispered  in  his  ear  that  his  mother  wished  to 
speak  to  him  before  the  drawing-room  commenced  ;  he 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I55 

went  through  the  Prince's  room  to  the  Queen-Dow- 
ager's ;  there  he  found  General  Eichstedt,  General 
Kohler  Banner,  and  that  able  statesman,  Guldberg. 

The  Queen-Dowager  received  the  Count,  as  indeed 
did  all  present,  with  distinguished  homage  ;  presently 
the  Prince  withdrew,  looking  very  significantly  on 
Rantzau,  and  telling  him  he  hoped  on  his  return  to 
learn  that  he  might  rank  his  excellency  amongst  the 
number  of  his  particular  friends — casting  his  heavy  eye 
on  his  mother's  creatures,  who,  of  course,  bowed  most 
obsequiously  and  profoundly.  The  task  was  left  to 
Guldberg  to  explain  to  Rantzau  that,  to  preserve  the 
internal  tranquillity  of  Denmark  and  command  the 
respect  of  foreign  States,  the  gentlemen  then  present, 
and  others,  considering  the  lamentable  imbecility  of  the 
King,  and  the  tender  age  of  the  Crown  Prince,  had 
applied  to  the  Queen-Dowager  to  prevail  on  her  son 
to  accept  the  office  of  Regent ;  but  ere  they  proceeded 
further,  they  wished  to  obtain  His  Excellency's  sanction. 

The  blood  rushed  in  a  torrent  to  the  old  Count's 
face,  his  eyes  flashed  fire,  and  eyeing  the  speaker  with 
fierce  disdain,  he  said,  "Never,  whilst  Rantzau  wears 
his  sword !  You  are  all  guilty  of  more  treason 
against  the  King,"  said  the  Count,  looking  sternly 
at  the  persons  who  were  present,  "than  what  was 
proved  against  the  scoundrel  Struensee  :  henceforth  let 
my  name  be  erased  from  this  cabal,  and  if  you  dare 
to  proceed,  this  sword  shall  chastise  your  disloyalty 
and  presumption."  Eichstedt,  Banner,  Rantzau,  all 
rose  together,  and  their  hands,  as  if  instinctively,  were 
laid  on  their  swords  ;    the  crafty  Queen  turned  pale  as 


I56  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

ashes  from  rage  and  fear ;  Guldberg  rushed  between 
the  angry  nobles,  exclaiming,  "  For  shame,  gentle- 
men !  in  the  Queen  -  Mother's  presence  is  this 
decorous  ?  "  At  his  request,  Eichstedt  and  Kohler 
Banner,  humbly  begging  forgiveness  of  Juliana,  seated 
themselves ;  Rantzau,  too,  apologised  to  that  woman, 
whose  malice,  had  her  power  been  correspondent, 
would  have  transfixed  him  to  the  earth,  or  severed 
his  limbs  like  those  of  Struensee.  But  if  the  Count 
was  fiery  and  open,  Juliana  could  be  cool  and  reserved. 
She  therefore  affected  to  rebuke  Guldberg  for  his  pre- 
sumption, affirming  with  the  utmost  effrontery  that 
she  knew  nothing  whatever  of  the  measure  alluded  to, 
and  felt  truly  sorry  that  the  Government,  in  its  present 
state  of  weakness,  should  lose  the  support  of  one  of 
its  firmest  pillars.  This  ironical  and  satirical  speech 
conveyed  to  Count  Rantzau  the  acceptation  of  his 
dismission  from  the  Council  of  State. 

Count  Rantzau  then  withdrew,  visibly  and  violently 
agitated.  To  conceal  the  tears  he  could  not  repress, 
he  kept  wiping  his  face  and  complaining  of  the  heat  of 
the  drawing-room.  His  valet,  Ernestus,  with  evident 
marks  of  concern,  noticed  the  angry  frown  that  ruffled 
his  brows,  and  would,  if  he  had  dared,  have  asked  what 
had  disturbed  him.  The  Count  read  his  thoughts  in 
the  expressive  features  of  his  valet,  and  said,   "  There 

is  nothing  the  matter,  only  it    is  so   d d   hot.     Go, 

my  friend  ;  order  a  dragoon  to  overtake  my  coach, 
and  bring  it  back."  Ernestus  turned  pale  at  this 
order,  for  he  knew  the  Count  had  been  invited,  and 
had  designed  to  spend  the  day  and  night  at  Fredericks- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  157 

borg.  He  obeyed  in  silence,  half  suspicious  that  the 
Count's  head  sat  but  loosely  on  his  shoulders.  The 
vis-a-vis  drew  up ;  the  Count  leaped  in ;  Ernestus 
followed.  The  whole  way  home  the  Count  kept  com- 
plaining of  the  heat  and  wiping  his  face.  When  he 
arrived  at  his  palace  he  undressed,  and  had  recourse  to 
his  constant  solace  in  trouble,  i.e.,  his  pipe.1 

This  was  the  last  time  that  ever  Count  Rantzau 
was  at  Court  in  Denmark.  The  next  day  a  gentleman 
of  the  Court — Major  Harboe,  of  the  Horse  Guards — 
came  to  the  Count,  ostensibly  to  propose  an  accommo- 
dation, but  in  reality  to  sound  his  feelings,  and,  if 
possible,  ascertain  his  future  views.  They  took  choco- 
late together,  and  had  a  long  conference.  The  Count 
was  too  experienced  a  courtier  to  be  entrapped  by  a 
shallow  young  man  like  this,  and  the  latter,  unable  to 
induce  the  Count  to  make  a  confession,  in  all  proba- 
bility substituted  one  of  his  own  fabrication  ;  at  least, 
the  events  that  followed  indicated  as  much. 

The  disgrace  of  Count  Rantzau  was  soon  spoken  of 
by  the  whole  city,  and  generally  with  satisfaction,  for 
he  had  the  singular  adroitness  to  offend  every  party 
in    the    State,   without    forming    one    of  his   own.     The 


1  The  Count  was  excessively  addicted  to  smoking,  and  very 
particular  in  everything  relating  thereto.  His  meerschaum  pipes 
(mounted  in  gold  and  silver)  were  of  the  costliest  kind;  his  to- 
bacco was  procured  from  Cadiz.  He  frequently  smoked  himself 
to  sleep,  his  large  pipe,  secured  from  letting  any  fire  fall  out, 
resting  on  ribbons  above  his  head,  and  the  tube  in  his  mouth. 
He  would  at  times  smoke  in  the  night.  One  pipeful  of  tobacco 
lasted  two  hours.  A  silver  tinder  box,  &c,  stood  by  his  bedside, 
ready  to  renew  his  pipe  if  it  chanced  to  go  out. 


I58  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

rumours  respecting  his  ill-treatment  of  Queen  Matilda 
were  fed  by  exaggerated  statements  from  Juliana  and 
her  partisans,  by  which  means  the  character  of  the 
Count  was  most  unmercifully  treated,  particularly  by 
the  ladies.  The  courtiers  no  longer  sought  his  notice ; 
his  ante-chambers  were  no  longer  crowded  by  humble 
supplicants,  but,  in  the  midst  of  a  crowded  city,  he  felt 
himself  in  solitude  and  alone. 

After  the  visit  to  Fredericksborg  Palace  he  stayed 
but  a  fortnight  in  Copenhagen,  and  that  period  was 
principally  employed  in  arranging  his  pecuniary  affairs, 
and  taking  leave  of  his  mistresses.  The  children  of 
Count  Rantzau  Rastorff  were  the  heirs  to  the  entailed 
estates ;  and  the  Count,  with  all  his  levity,  was  anxious 
that  his  tenants,  to  whom  he  had  ever  been  a  mild 
and  indulgent  landlord,  should  not  be  oppressed,  nor, 
after  his  decease,  be  deprived  of  their  honest  earnings 
that  during  his  life-time  they  might  have  acquired. 

Love,  war,  and  State  intrigues  had  alternately  en- 
gaged the  Count's  attention  from  his  earliest  days  of 
manhood  ;  and  so  docile  was  his  genius,  he  could  fol- 
low the  three  pursuits  at  once  with  as  much  intensity 
as  if  one  alone  engaged  his  attention.  The  last  object 
of  the  Count's  amours  in  Denmark  was  a  fine  young 
actress,  Sophia  Livernet,  who  was  the  first  female 
dancer  at  the  Opera.  He  was  wooing  this  young 
damsel  just  as  his  head  was  full  of  the  great  under- 
taking he  meditated  against  Counts  Struensee  and 
Brandt.  The  father  of  his  favourite  was  a  tailor  re- 
siding in  the  city,  to  whom  she  was  very  liberal.  As 
she  lost  her  engagement  by  accepting  the  addresses  of 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  159 

Count  Rantzau,  the  old  nobleman  settled  a  competent 
annuity  on  her  parents  to  protect  them  from  want  in 
their  old  age,  whilst  he  conferred  sufficient  wealth  to 
render  Sophia  independent,  the  interest  of  which  he 
secured  to  her  during  life  in  the  Bank  of  England 
Stock,  with  liberty  to  dispose  of  one  moiety  by  will. 
The  other  moiety  he  gave  her  to  use  as  she  pleased. 

The  girl  was  not  more  than  eighteen  when  this  old 
nobleman  found  means  to  gain  her  affections.  Her 
character  stood  the  first  of  any  young  actress  on  the 
stage ;  she  was  neither  insolent  nor  wasteful,  and,  in 
point  of  personal  beauty,  there  were  few  could  boast 
of  brighter  charms.  In  stature  she  was  of  a  graceful 
height,  without  being  tall ;  her  face  oval,  features  of 
the  Italian  cast ;  her  complexion  was  remarkably  clear, 
and  her  colour  so  blooming  that  she  never  used  rouge  ; 
her  eyes  were  a  brilliant  black ;  her  lips  thin,  rosy, 
and  finely  formed ;  her  teeth  small,  white,  and  even  ; 
her  tresses  a  dark  auburn  ;  her  neck  and  bosom  were 
of  the  finest  form  ;  her  motions  graceful,  and  her  dis- 
position good  and  affable.  Such  was  the  young  girl 
whose  first  public  attachment  was  to  a  man  of  sixty 
years  of  age.  Her  subsequent  conduct  indicated  that 
her  respect  for  the  Count  was  not  founded  on  mercenary 
principles  alone.  Miss  Livernet's  quitting  the  stage 
gave  offence  to  Queen  Matilda,  to  Struensee,  and 
Brandt,  and  a  message  was  sent  to  the  Count  to  re- 
quire her  re-appearance.  He  sent  word  that  Miss 
Livernet  resided  in  his  hotel,  and  if  they  wanted 
her,  there  she  was  to  be  found.  The  Queen,  haughty 
and   irritable,  was   for    sending   an    officer   to   take   her 


l6o  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

by  force ;  but  Struensee  and  Brandt,  who  knew  the 
Count  better  than  the  Queen,  dissuaded  her  from 
taking  any  steps  by  which  they  might  make  an  irre- 
concilable enemy  of  that  enterprising  man.  Such 
was  the  brief  history  of  Sophia  Livernet,  who,  at  the 
time  of  the  Count's  difference  with  the  faction  whom 
he  had  set  up,  was  living  with  him  in  the  Princens 
Palace,  a  still  greater  favourite  than  his  pipe,  which 
is  saying  a  great  deal,  considering  the  strength  of  his 
attachment  to  that  source  of  humble  pleasure.  But 
there  was  this  difference  between  the  one  and  the  other, 
namely,  that  he  forsook  his  mistresses  when  the  bloom 
of  youth  and  beauty  forsook  them,  and  often  long 
before ;  whereas  the  longer  he  smoked  his  meerschaum 
pipe,  and  the  older  it  grew,  the  more  beautiful  and 
valuable   it   became    in    his   eyes.1 

His  affairs  in  the  metropolis  being  finally  settled, 
the  Count,  leaving  Miss  Livernet  in  his  hotel, 
accompanied  only  by  his  favourite  valet,  Ernestus, 
went  by  water  first  to  Elsineur,  and  thence  to 
Warrenborg,  a  small  town  on  the  Baltic.2  During 
the  passage  he  seemed  absorbed  in  thought.  The 
sight  of  Cronenborg  Castle  brought  the  remembrance 
of     Matilda     and    her    sufferings    to    his     mind ;     and 

i  This  really  is  the  case  with  those  pipes ;  the  rich  clouded 
colour  for  which  they  are  chiefly  prized  by  amateurs,  arising 
from  the  internal  heat,  managed  in  a  peculiar  way  to  produce  that 
effect. 

2  In  the  map  of  Zealand  in  Mr.  Coxe's  "  Travels,"  vol.  v., 
p.  84,  there  is  no  such  town  as  Warrenborg  noted  ;  there  pro- 
bably exists  some  mistake  as  to  the  route  taken  by  the  Count 
from  Copenhagen  to  Corsoer. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  IOI 

whether  it  was  her  fate  or  his  own — for  he  felt 
he  was  going  into  perpetual  banishment — he  again 
complained  of  the  heat,  and  wiped  a  tear  from  his 
eye.  A  tack  made  by  the  skipper  close  to  Copen- 
hagen afforded  the  Count  a  view  of  the  mangled 
remains  of  Struensee  and  Brandt.  The  Count  was 
startled  at  the  sight ;  his  features  denoted  horror  and 
surprise.  "  Put  about  instantly,"  said  he  sternly  to 
the  skipper ;  "  do  you  think  I  want  to  look  at  the 
remains  of  those  men  ?  "  Unconscious  of  offence, 
the  skipper  humbly  stated  that  he  must  first  gain 
the  point  of  land  ahead.  Ashamed  of  his  weakness, 
the  Count  flung  him  a  ducat  and  went  below,  where, 
leaning  his  head  on  his  hand,  thoughtful  and  abstracted, 
he  sat  silent  and  motionless.  The  skipper  was  by 
birth  a  Norwegian,  and  finding  that  the  Count's  valet 
was  his  countryman,  he  showed  him  the  ducat,  saying, 
"  What  made  your  master  startle  at  the  sight  of  the 
limbs  of  Struensee  and  Brandt,  and  order  me  to  put 
about,  when,  without  reaching  the  Ness,  I  could  not  get 
on  with  this  wind  ?  "  The  valet  shook  his  head,  and 
made  no  reply.  The  skipper  continued,  "  Perhaps  the  old 
gentleman  is  not  right  in  his  head  ;  or  may  be,  all  is  not 
right  here  ?  "  laying  his  hand  on  his  heart.  "  Had  he 
any  hand  in  bringing  those  men  to  that  dreadful  end  ? 
If  he  had,  the  Lord  have  mercy  upon  him ;  I  would 
not  have  their  blood  on  my  hands — not  for  all  the 
ducats  in  the  world !  "  Ernestus  looked  the  old  man 
in  the  face  attentively,  and  said  in  Norsk,  "  Are 
you  not  Peter  Nielsen,  who  rescued  the  King  from 
the   sea  when  he  was    Crown   Prince  ? "     "  Aye,"  said 

VOL.    I  II 


l62  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

the  blunt  old  man,  "  that  man  am  I.  The  villain 
Brockdorff,1  I  believe — God  forgive  me  if  I  wrong 
him — intended  he  should  be  drowned.  King  Frederick, 
of  blessed  memory,  gave  me  a  handful  of  money,  and 
ordered  I  should  be  provided  for  ;  but  I  never  had  any 
provision  till  the  good  young  Queen  chanced  to  hear 
that  I  had  once  saved  her  husband's  life.  Heaven  bless 
her,  and  be  her  guide  and  protector!"  said  the  grateful 
seaman:  "she  sent  for  me  and  made  me  tell  her  all 
about  it,  which  I  did  in  my  homely  way.  The  beauti- 
ful Queen  shook  her  head,  as  much  as  to  say,  I  know 
who  was  at  the  bottom  of  this;  so  did  I,  too,  but 
I  didn't  say  so.  So  then  she  bade  her  woman  tell 
me  I  should  be  provided  for  when  the  King,  who 
was  then  in  England,  came  home ;  and  she  shook 
me  by  my  coarse  hand,  and  made  her  baby  put  its 
little  hand  into  mine  to  thank  me  for  having  saved 
its   father's   life ;  and   she   gave    me    money,    for   I  was 


i  "During  the  life  of  King  Frederick  V.,  the  Royal  party 
were  often  entertained  by  a  water  frolic  upon  that  part 
of  the  sea  which  lies  immediately  behind  Fredensborg.  The 
present  King  (Christian  VH.)  in  one  of  those  expeditions  was 
more  wild  and  disorderly  than  usual  ;  neither  entreaties  nor 
remonstrances  could  prevail  on  him  to  be  quiet.  One  of  the 
gentlemen  of  the  household,  Brockdorff  by  name,  whose  manners 
were  in  general  not  the  most  polished,  threatened  to  throw  the 
young  Prince  into  the  water  unless  he  behaved  more  decently ; 
and,  taking  him  by  the  arm,  he  was  really  unfortunate  or 
awkward  enough  to  throw  him  overboard.  The  Prince  was  im- 
mediately saved,  but  he  never  forgot  the  circumstance ;  and 
ascribed  his  misfortune  to  a  design  of  his  step-mother  upon  his 
life,  in  order  to  raise  her  son,  Prince  Frederick,  to  the  throne. 
This  suspicion  grew  up  with  him,  and  it  was  in  vain  to  attempt 
to  persuade  him  to  the  contrary." — Latrobe,  p.  276. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  163 

very  poor  through  sickness  and  bad  luck,  and  soon 
after  the  King  returned  I  was  indeed  sent  for  to 
the  palace,  and  the  King  himself  took  me  by  the 
hand ;  but  it  seems  His  Majesty  thought  I  was 
provided  for.  Count  Struensee  was  there,  but  he  was 
no  Count  then — happy,  mayhap,  if  he  had  never  been. 
He  was  then  the  King's  German  doctor.  I  could 
speak  a  little  German,  and  he  told  me  I  was  to 
have  a  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  life,  so  that 
I  need  never  work  or  go  to  sea  again.  I  fell  on 
my  knees  to  thank  the  King  and  Queen,  and  told 
them  that  I  should  die  if  I  was  not  to  work  nor 
go  to  sea.  They  smiled  when  they  heard  this,  and 
the  King  said,  '  Old  man,  thou  shalt  not  die  if  I 
can  save  thee.'  So  then  Doctor  Struensee — God  bless 
his  soul  !  and  may  his  sins  be  forgiven  him — said, 
'  A  gift  of  a  small  vessel  would  be  more  useful.' 
'True,'  said  the  Queen,  'he  shall  have  a  vessel, 
and  the  pension  too.'  This  very  yacht  was  the 
Queen's  gift.  Now,  have  not  I  and  mine  a  right  to 
pray  for  my  benefactress  ? "  Ernestus  was  so  much 
affected,  he  could  not  reply.  Of  the  circumstance  he 
had  often  heard  Struensee  speak,  but  the  man  he  had 
never  seen ;  and  now  that  Count  Rantzau  was  fallen 
in  disgrace,  the  vessel  bestowed  by  the  Queen  wafted 
him  from  the  shores  he  was  doomed  to  tread  no  more. 
The  wind  was  now  right  aft ;  the  mate  was  at  the 
helm,  the  Count  yet  below ;  the  old  skipper  and  the 
young  valet  were  standing  forward  ;  of  course  the 
sound  of  their  voices  was  borne  away  by  the  breeze. 
The   heart  of  the  young  man  was  so  full,  he  could  no 

11 — 2 


164  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

longer  conceal  that  he  had  been  the  favourite  valet  of 
Struensee ;  that  he  was  now  in  the  service  of  Count 
Rantzau,  who  was  the  nobleman  by  whom  his  packet 
had  been  freighted. 

The  old  man  was  deeply  affected  at  this  discovery, 
for  he  knew  not  before  the  name  of  his  freighter. 
"  Well,  indeed,  might  his  conscience  twinge  him  at  the 
sight  of  those  men's  limbs  !  "  said  the  skipper,  indig- 
nantly ;  "  but  how  came  you  to  take  service  with  the 
sworn  enemy  and  destroyer  of  your  late  master  ?  "  "I 
lost  my  all  when  I  was  torn  to  prison  ;  I  gave  no  evi- 
dence against  the  Queen  nor  the  Count  ;  and  thus  I 
was  left  destitute  and  unpaid.  Count  Rantzau  is  a 
generous  and  good  master ;  and  hearing  that  I  had 
been  faithful,  and  wanting  a  valet,  his  excellency  hired 
me  ;  and  a  kind,  indulgent  master  I  have  found  him." 
"  God  be  praised,"  said  the  skipper  ;  you  did  not  dis- 
grace your  honest  parents,  whom  I  well  knew  at  Bergen. 
Many  a  cup  of  good  wine  have  I  drunk  in  their  cellar  ; 
and  blessed  be  His  righteousness  that  is  now  bringing 
disgrace  and  punishment  on  the  destroyer  of  my  bene- 
factors. "  Take  this  ducat,"  said  he,  "  and  return  it  to 
the  Count,  and  tell  his  excellency  all  I  have  in  the 
world  I  derived  from  those  whom  he  destroyed."  "  You 
mistake  the  Count's  character,"  said  Ernestus.  "  No, 
I  mistake  him  not,"  rejoined  the  blunt  old  man  ;  "  and 
if  you  will  not  carry  the  ducat  back,  why  here  it  goes 
(throwing  it  into  the  sea) !  It  would  bring  a  curse  on 
me  and  mine  if  I  were  to  keep  it."  The  skipper  then 
began  a  long  argument  to  persuade  Ernestus  to  quit 
the  service   of   the  Count  ;    and  the  valet  was   no   less 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  165 

zealous  to  convince  the  skipper  that  he  had  formed  too 
unfavourable  an  opinion  of  him  ;  so  that  when  they 
reached  Warrenborg  the  opinions  of  both  were  still 
the  same.  The  skipper  promised  to  be  silent  and  dis- 
creet as  to  the  quality  of  his  passenger,  except  the 
Count  should  avow  himself;  and  having  received  the 
freight,  which  the  skipper  made  a  vow  should  be  given 
to  the  poor,  and  never  blended  with  his  honest  money, 
they  took  leave  of  each  other. 

The  Count  did  not  find  his  spirits  revived  by  his 
valet's  telling  him,  in  reply  to  a  demand  why  he  seemed 
so  melancholy,  the  singular  conversation  he  had  had 
with  the  old  skipper,  suppressing  only  the  hearty  male- 
dictions bestowed  on  his  master.  The  Count  seemed 
more  surprised  than  pleased  at  this  adventure.  "  Did 
the  old  fellow  know  me?"  said  the  Count.  He  was 
answered  in  the  negative.  "  I  am  sorry  for  it,"  said 
he,  "for  I  should  have  wished  to  have  tried  his 
attachment  and  his  avarice.  I  flung  him  a  ducat 
because  I  had  spoken  cross  to  him.  Perhaps  he 
would  not  have  accepted  it  had  he  known  Count 
Rantzau  was  the  donor  ?  "  "  He  flung  it  in  the  sea 
as  soon  as  he  learnt  it."  "What!"  said  the  Count 
sternly,  "  this  after  telling  me  he  knew  me  not  ?  " 
The  valet  then  told  the  whole  story  from  beginning 
to  end.  The  Count  was  deeply  affected  at  this  proof 
of  strong  aversion.  "  I  am  already,"  said  he,  "  an 
outcast  from  society — a  wanderer  like  Cain ;  every 
man's  hand  is  held  up  against  me  !  "  For  an  hour 
or  two  he  continued  very  melancholy,  till  a  buxom 
girl    coming    in    his   way,    Matilda,    Struensee   and    his 


l66  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

own  self-banishment  seemed  forgotten  in  the  ardour 
with  which  he  paid  his  addresses  to  the  rosy  young 
rustic.  From  "Warrenborg  the  Count  travelled  in  his 
own  equipage  (that  arrived  by  another  vessel)  by  land 
to  Korsoer,  wThere  he  crossed  the  Great  Belt,  landing 
at  Nyborg,  whence  it  is  four  German  or  sixteen 
English  miles  to  Odensee,1  the  capital  of  P^unen,  and 
formerly  a  Royal  residence. 

i  The  execrable  tyrant,  Christian  II.,  was  buried  in  a  church 
in  this  town.  The  brief  account  given  of  him  in  Mr.  Coxe's 
"Travels"  is  so  very  interesting  that  the  translator  thought  he 
should  rather  please  than  offend  his  readers  by  inserting  it  as 
a  note  in  this  portion  of  the  "  Secret  History  of  the  Court  of 
Denmark  " : 

"John  ascended  the  throne  in  14S1,  on  the  death  of  his 
father,  Christian  I.  ;  and  in  1497,  renewing  the  union  of  Calmar, 
obtained  the  crown  of  Sweden,  which  the  Swedes,  however,  did 
not  long  permit  him  to  enjoy.  He  died  on  the  12th  of  February, 
1513,  having  on  his  death-bed  admonished  his  son,  Christian  II., 
admonitions  which  had  no  effect  on  a  breast  already  corrupted  by 
power  and  impatient  for  dominion.  John  would  have  acted  more 
wisely  had  he  endeavoured  to  render  the  infant  mind  of  his  son 
capable  of  receiving  the  impressions  of  virtue,  and  had  not  shame- 
fully neglected  his  education — a  crime  highly  reprehensible  in  a 
father,  but  unpardonable  in  a  Sovereign  who  is,  perhaps,  rearing 
a  tyrant  for  his  subjects  and  entailing  on  his  country  a  series  of 
evils  for  which  he  is  himself  chiefly  accountable.  Historians 
agree  in  representing  John  as  a  wise  and  prudent  Prince,  inclined 
to  peace,  but  enterprising  in  war,  and  as  generally  moderate  and 
humane — admitting,  however,  that  he  perpetrated,  occasionally, 
acts  of  violence  and  cruelty,  derived  from  a  species  of  melancholy 
madness  that  preyed  upon  his  mind  and  at  times  deprived  him  of 
his  senses. 

"His  son,  the  cruel  and  unfortunate  Christian  II.,  is  entombed 
near  his  father,  under  a  plain  gravestone,  somewhat  raised,  but 
without  inscription.  He  was  born  at  Nyborg,  on  the  2nd  of 
July,  1481,  and  evinced,  in  his  youth,  symptoms  of  a  lively 
genius  and  good  understanding,  which,  if  properly  cultivated, 
might    have    rendered    him    the    ornament,     instead    of    the    dis- 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  l6j 

The  Count  hired  a  furnished  house  about  five 
miles  from  that  small  city,  where  he  lived  perfectly 
retired,  seeing  no  company  whatever  except  the 
farmer's  daughters,  who  brought  him  fruit.  When 
his  sensual  fits  came  on  he  ceased  to  moralise ; 
those  subdued,  he  was  again  the  sentimental  phi- 
losopher and  stern  reviser  of  an  ill-spent,  oft  lamented, 
but  never  amended  life. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  but  most  of  those 
florists  and  fruit-girls  who  visited  the  house  of  the 
Count  should  prefer  as  a  sweetheart  a  fine  young 
fellow,   scarcely  one-and-twenty,    to    a    Count    of  sixty, 


honour,  of  his  country.  The  young  Prince  was  entrusted  to  a 
common  burgher  of  Copenhagen,  and  afterwards  removed  to  the 
house  of  a  schoolmaster,  who  was  a  canon  of  the  cathedral.  In  this 
situation  his  chief  employment  consisted  in  regularly  accompanying 
his  master  to  church,  where  he  distinguished  himself  beyond  the 
other  scholars  and  choristers  in  chanting  and  singing  psalms.  He 
was  afterwards  consigned  to  the  tuition  of  a  German  preceptor,  a 
man  of  learning,  but  a  pedant,  under  whom,  however,  he  made  a 
considerable  proficiency  in  the  Latin  tongue.  From  this  humble 
education  Christian  imbibed  a  taste  for  bad  company,  and  was 
accustomed  to  haunt  the  common  taverns,  to  mix  with  the  popu- 
lace, to  scour  the  streets,  and  to  be  guilty  of  every  excess.  The 
King  at  length,  informed  of  these  irregularities,  reproved  him 
severely;  but  as  the  Prince  had  already  contracted  habits  which 
were  grown  too  strong  to  be  eradicated,  these  admonitions  were 
too  late.  He  feigned,  however,  contrition  for  his  past  behaviour, 
and  again  won  the  affections  of  his  father  by  his  military  successes 
in  Norway,  and  by  an  unwearied  application  to  the  affairs  of  Govern- 
ment. 

"During  the  first  years  of  his  reign,  which  commenced  in  1513, 
his  administration  was  in  many  respects  worthy  of  praise ;  and  the 
excellence  of  many  of  his  laws  has  induced  Holberg  to  affirm  that, 
if  the  character  of  Christian  II.  was  to  be  determined  by  his  laws, 
and  not   by  his  actions,  he  would  merit  the  appellation   of  Good 


l68  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

although  he  might,  barring  unknown  contingencies, 
be  able  to  trace  his  pedigree  up  to  Charles  the  Great, 
or  the  greater  hero  Oden,  or  carry  in  his  arms  three- 
score  and    ten    quarterings.      Ernestus,    delighted    and 

rather  than  of  Tyrant.  Happy  would  it  have  been  for  himself 
and  his  people  had  he  continued  to  reign  on  the  same  principles  ! 
"At  first,  all  his  enterprises  were  crowned  with  success.  He 
abridged  the  power  of  the  Danish  nobility,  and  exalted  the  regal 
prerogatives ;  he  obtained  the  crown  of  Sweden  by  conquest,  and 
was  even  proclaimed  hereditary  Sovereign  of  that  kingdom.  A 
prudent  and  temperate  use  of  these  advantages  might  have  en- 
sured him  a  long  and  undisturbed  possession  of  the  throne ;  but 
his  natural  disposition,  now  freed  from  all  restraint  by  prosperity, 
hurried  him  to  the  perpetration  of  the  most  flagrant  acts  of  tyranny. 
The  dreadful  massacre  of  Stockholm,  in  which  six  hundred  of  the 
principal  nobility  were  put  to  the  sword  under  the  semblance  of  law, 
and  amid  the  rejoicings  for  his  coronation,  exhibited  such  a  striking 
instance  of  his  malignant  and  implacable  character  that,  on  the 
success  of  Gustavus  Vasa,  the  spirit  of  resistance  diffused  itself 
rapidly  from  Sweden  to  Denmark,  where  he  had  exasperated  his 
subjects  by  repeated  oppressions  and  the  confidence  which  he 
placed  in  the  lowest  and  most  worthless  favourites.* 

*  The  first  of  these  favourites  was  the  infamous  Sigrebit,  mother  of  the  King's 
mistress,  Divike.  This  artful  woman,  who  was  a  native  of  Holland,  and  had  kept 
an  inn  at  Bergen,  in  Norway,  even  after  her  daughter's  death  retained  such  power 
that  she  might  be  styled  Prime  Minister.  She  was  the  only  channel  of  favour, 
transacted  all  affairs  of  importance,  had  the  care  of  the  finances,  superintended  the 
customs  of  the  Sound,  and  had,  in  a  word,  acquired  such  a  wonderful  ascendency 
over  the  infatuated  monarch  that  her  influence  was  attributed  to  fascination.  On 
the  King's  deposition,  Sigrebit  was  so  much  detested  that,  from  apprehensions  of 
the  popular  fury,  she  was  conveyed  in  a  chest  on  board  the  vessel  which  carried 
Christian  from  Denmark.  Holberg  adds  ;  "  She  consoled  the  King  for  the  loss  of 
his  crown  by  assuring  him  that,  through  the  Emperor's  interest,  he  could  not  fail  of 
being  chosen  Burgomaster  of  Amsterdam."  The  particulars  of  this  woman's  life, 
subsequent  to  her  escape  from  Denmark,  are  not  known. 

The  other  favourite  of  Christian — no  less  infamous  than  the  former — was 
Nicholas  Slagelbec,  originally  a  barber  of  Westphalia,  and  recommended  to  the 
King  by  his  relation  Sigrebit.  He  rendered  himself  so  useful  to  Christian  by 
his  sanguinary  advice  at  the  massacre  of  Stockholm,  and  by  being  the  instrument 
of  his  cruelty,  that  he  was  rewarded  with  the  Archbishopric  of  Lunden.  Not  long 
afterwards,  however,  the  King  threw  on  his  favourite  all  the  odium  of  th"  mas- 
sacre, and  sacrificed  him  to  the  public  vengeance.  The  unfortunate  victim  was  first 
racked,  and  then  burnt  alive,  exhibiting  a  melancholy  example  of  what  little 
confidence  is  to  be  reposed  in  the  favour  of  a  tyrant. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  169 

gratified,  thought  again  of  the  fair  ladies  in  the  gay 
Court  of  Matilda.  Both  master  and  man  seemed  to 
have  lost  all  mournful  recollections,  when  suddenly 
an    event    occurred    which    reminded    the    Count    how 


"  In  1523  Christian  was  publicly  deposed  by  the  States  of  Den- 
mark, and  the  crown  transferred  to  his  uncle,  Frederick,  Duke  of 
Holstein.  This  deposition  was  neither  the  consequence  of  Frederick's 
intrigues  nor  of  party  spirit,  but  occasioned  by  the  just  and  universal 
detestation  which  pervaded  all  ranks  of  people,  and  had  more  the 
appearance  of  a  new  election  on  the  demise  of  the  Crown  than  of 
a  revolution  which  deprived  a  despot  of  his  throne.  Christian 
himself  was  sensible  of  the  general  odium,  and,  though  by  no  means 
deficient  in  personal  courage,  made  not  the  least  effort  to  retain  pos- 
session of  the  throne  which  he  had  often  dishonoured.  Quitting  Copen- 
hagen, he  repaired  to  Antwerp  under  the  protection  of  Charles  V., 
whose  sister  Isabella  he  had  married.  After  many  delays  and 
solicitations  at  the  different  Courts  of  Europe,  he  at  length  collected, 
by  the  Emperor's  assistance,  a  fleet  and  army,  with  which  he  invaded 
the  Danish  dominions;  his  attempts,  however,  proving  unsuccessful, 
he  fell,  in  1542,  into  the  hands  of  Frederick  I.,  and  was  consigned 
a  prisoner  to  the  Castle  of  Sonderborg,  a  strong  fortress  in  the  Isle  of 
Alsen. 

"The  place  of  his  confinement  was  a  dungeon  with  a  small 
window,  admitting  only  a  few  rays  of  light,  through  which  his 
provisions  were  conveyed.  Having  entered  this  gloomy  cell,  with 
a  favourite  dwarf,  the  sole  companion  of  his  misery,  the  door  was 
instantly  walled  up.  Even  the  horrors  of  this  situation  were 
aggravated  by  the  death  of  his  only  son  John,  who  expired  at 
Ratisbon  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  his  age,  and  on  the  same  day 
on  which  his  father  was  taken  prisoner.  The  premature  decease 
of  this  accomplished  Prince,  whom  he  tenderly  loved,  and  on 
whom  he  rested  his  sole  hopes  of  enlargement,  reduced  him  to  a 
state  of  despondency.  After  much  anxious  solicitude  by  what 
means  he  could  convey  intelligence  of  his  dreadful  situation  to  his 
daughter,  the  Electress  Palatine,  and  to  the  Emperor  Charles  V., 
the  King  prevailed  on  the  dwarf  to  counterfeit  sickness  and 
solicit  his  removal  from  prison  for  the  recovery  of  his  health. 
If  successful,  he  was  to  seize  the  first  opportunity  of  escaping 
from    the    Danish   dominions    to    the  Court  of  the  Electress,  that 


170  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

just  his  first  conclusions  were,  namely,  that  if  he  did 
not  go  into  voluntary  exile,  he  should  be  banished 
by  regal  power. 

About  five  o'clock  one  morning  a  Royal  courier 
arrived  at  the  Count's  door,  announcing  the  approach 

she  might  engage  the  Emperor  to  intercede  with  the  King  of 
Denmark  for  some  alleviation  of  her  father's  sufferings.  The 
dwarf  accordingly  feigned  sickness,  was  transferred  to  the  neigh- 
bouring town,  eluded  the  vigilance  of  his  guards,  and  made  his 
escape ;  but  was  overtaken  at  Rensburgh,  scarcely  a  day's 
journey  from  the  Danish  confines. 

"  Christian,  frustrated  in  this  attempt,  and  deprived  of  his 
faithful  associate,  lingered  for  some  time  in  total  solitude,  until  an 
old  soldier,  worn  out  with  the  fatigues  of  war,  offered  to  share 
the  King's  imprisonment.  This  veteran,  being  immured  in  the 
dungeon,  amused  the  Royal  prisoner  with  various  anecdotes  on 
the  different  princes  and  generals  under  whom  he  had  enlisted, 
and  by  describing  the  expeditions  and  battles  in  which  he  had 
been  present ;  and,  as  he  had  served  from  his  earliest  youth,  was 
a  person  of  much  observation,  and  by  nature  loquacious,  he 
assisted  in  relieving  the  tedium  of  Christian's  captivity.  Nor  did 
any  event,  scarcely  the  loss  of  his  son,  more  sensibly  affect  the 
deposed  Sovereign  than  the  death  of  this  soother  of  his  misery, 
who  expired  in  the  dungeon. 

"After  a  confinement  of  eleven  years  in  his  original  cell, 
Christian  was  at  length  removed,  through  the  intercession  of 
Charles  V.,  to  a  commodious  apartment  in  the  same  castle, 
provided  with  suitable  attendants,  and  indulged  with  the  liberty 
of  visiting  in  the  town,  attending  Divine  service  in  the  public 
church,  and  hunting  in  the  neighbouring  district.  Yet  even  this 
change  of  situation,  which  had  been  so  long  the  sole  object 
of  his  wishes,  could  not  make  him  forget  that  he  was  still  a  pri- 
soner, the  recollection  of  which  affected  him  occasionally  to  such 
a  degree,  that  he  would  suddenly  burst  into  tears,  throw  himself 
on  the  ground,  utter  the  most  bitter  lamentations,  and  continue 
for  some  time  in  a  state  approaching  to  insanity.  However 
deservedly  odious  Christian  II.  may  have  appeared  in  the  former 
parts  of  his  life,  yet  his  subsequent  sufferings  raise  compassion ; 
and  it  is  a  pleasing   satisfaction   to   every  humane   mind   that   he 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  171 

of  a  nobleman  from  the  Court ;  and  almost  before 
Ernestus  was  dressed,  Major  Harboe  arrived.  "  I 
must  see  Count  Rantzau  immediately,"  said  the  Major. 
"  His  excellency  is  not  up."  "  Then  you  must  con- 
duct me  to  his  bedroom."  "  Ho  !  ho  !  "  thought  the 
valet;  "the  guards  are  behind  to  take  away  the  Count, 


recovered  from  his  despondency  and  acquiesced  in  his  fate  with 
perfect  resignation. 

"  In  1546,  after  a  confinement  of  sixteen  years  and  seven  months 
in  the  Castle  of  Sonderborg,  he  was  conveyed  to  the  Palace  of 
Callenborg  in  the  Isle  of  Zetland,  a  place  to  which  he  was  particu- 
larly attached.  Christian  III.  repaired  in  person  to  Assens,  received 
his  fallen  rival  with  great  marks  of  attention,  and  promised  him 
every  comfort  which  could  tend  to  alleviate  his  situation.  These 
unusual  honours,  joined  to  his  removal  from  a  place  where  he  had 
experienced  so  much  misery,  and  the  prospect  of  again  inhabiting 
his  favourite  palace,  excited  transports  of  joy,  and  he  compared 
himself  to  a  person  recalled  from  death.* 

"Being  conducted  to  Callenborg,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of 
finding  these  promises  religiously  fulfilled.  He  survived  this  happy 
change  ten  years,  and  his  mind  was  so  softened  by  adversity  that, 
old  as  he  was,  his  death  was  hastened  by  affliction  for  the  loss  of 
his  benefactor  Christian  III.  He  died  on  the  24th  of  January,  1559, 
in  the  78th  year  of  his  age  and  in  the  36th  from  the  period  of  his 
deposition."  f 

*  "  Quibus  ille  non  secus  animo  exhilaratur,  ac  si  morte  cxtractus,  novum  lucent 
intueretur." — "  Cragii  Annal.  Christ.  III.,"  p.  324. 

f  In  1808,  amongst  a  great  number  of  loose  paintings  not  usually  exhibited  to 
strangers,  there  was,  in  the  museum  in  the  King's  palace  at  Stockholm  a  full- 
length  portrait,  large  as  life,  of  Christian  II.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection  the 
unhappy  man  was  depicted  in  the  garments  he  had  on  when,  in  1553,  he  was 
exhumed,  if  the  expression  is  allowable,  from  his  dark  and  dreary  dungeon  at 
Sonderborg  Castle.  His  aspect  was  wild,  savage,  and  gloomy  ;  his  habiliments 
all  in  tatters.  In  Mr.  Wolffe's  "  Northern  Tour,"  p.  18,  there  is  a  representation 
of  him,  dressed  in  Royal  robes  and  wearing  the  Order  of  the  Elephant.  Allowing 
for  the  difference  of  age  and  costume,  the  features  appear  the  same  in  both  repre- 
sentations, from  which  it  is  fair  to  infer  it  is  a  good  likeness,  as  it  unquestionably 
is  a  beautiful  engraving.  The  story  of  Christian's  amour  with  the  fair  Dyveke, 
daughter  of  Madame  Sigrebit,  is  given  at  large  in  Mr.  Wolffe's  entertaining  work. 
Mr.  Coxe  (vol.  v.,  p.  181)  mentions  a  striking  portrait  of  Christian  II.  amongst  the 
pictures  of  the  Danish  Kings  that  were  exhibited  in  the  Palace  of  Fredericksborg. 


172  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

and,    perhaps,    myself  also !  "     There   was   no   time   for 
deliberation    or    delay ;    the   valet,    therefore,   with   fear 
and  trembling,  introduced  the  Major  to  Count  Rantzau 
in    his    bedroom.      The    Count    awoke   in    an   instant ; 
and,  in    the  most    careless  and  indifferent  manner,  told 
Ernestus    to    go    below,    and    stay   there    till    he    was 
called ;  then,  without  rising,  but  courteously  asking  the 
Major  to  take   a   chair,  he  said,    "  Now,    sir,    please   to 
explain     the    meaning    of    this    unexpected     honour  ?  " 
The   coolness    of  the    Count    a   good    deal  disconcerted 
the  Major,  who    began   to   apologise  for  the  unpleasant 
errand   on    which    he   was    arrived.      "  Pho ! "   said   the 
Count,  "  do    not    mince    the  matter,  man !  but  tell  me, 
has    His    Royal    Highness  the   Prince   Regent   sent   for 
my  head  ?     Am    I   your  prisoner  ?  "     "  That  depends," 
said    the     Major,     "  on     the     answer    your     excellency 
pleases  to  give  to  these  despatches,"  handing  a  packet 
to  the   Count,  who,  in  a  careless  way,  broke  the  seal, 
and  running  his  eye  over  the  contents,  without  deigning 
a  reply,  rang  his   bell  for  his  valet,  to  whom   he  said, 
"  Order   out    horses   and   carriages   immediately ;    I   am 
going  with  Major  Harboe  to  my  seat  at  Aschborg ;  lose 
not    a   moment   in    getting   my  carriage    ready,    and    do 
you  follow   me,  after  paying   my   bills,   and   bring  with 
you  all   my  luggage."     He  then  ordered  coffee  and  re- 
freshments to  be   prepared  for  himself  and  the   Major, 
and  desired  that  the  Royal  courier  might  be  hospitably 
entertained.       The    cool    and    tranquil    carriage   of    the 
Count    filled    Major    Harboe  with    amazement,   not   un- 
mixed with  chagrin.     As  they  sat  at  breakfast  together 
the  Major  said,  "Your  Excellency  sees  the  alternative — 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  173 

perpetual  banishment  from  Zealand  and  Funen,  or 
compliance.  Is  the  alternative  not  worth  a  little 
deliberation  ?  "  "  Not  the  delay  of  one  moment,"  ex- 
claimed the  Count  ;  "  were  this  stupid  head  of  mine 
the  object  of  your  journey,  instead  of  my  immediate 
departure  for  Aschberg,  you  would  have  found  me  just 
as  ready  to  have  submitted  to  the  stroke,  rather  than 
submit  to  set  my  lawful  Sovereign  and  the  Crown 
Prince  aside,   and  declare  Prince  Frederick  Regent." 

The  Major  could  scarcely  refrain  from  smiling  at 
the  satirical  tone  and  manner  in  which  Count  Rantzau 
alluded  to  the  gross  blunder  he  had  committed.  Find- 
ing him  inexorable,  the  Major  dropped  that  subject, 
and  the  discourse  took  a  different  turn  ;  on  the  part  of 
the  Count  it  was  free  and  unembarrassed,  whilst  Major 
Harboe  laboured  under  evident  restraint  and  embarrass- 
ment. He  had  the  temerity,  however,  to  remind  his 
host  that  it  was  probable,  when  his  excellency  arrested 
Queen  Matilda,  he  little  expected  he  should  so  soon 
be  surprised  in  his  turn,  before  he  was  out  of  bed,  by 
an  order  of  perpetual  exile.  The  old  nobleman  told 
the  insolent  courtier  that  he  presumed  the  honour  of 
being  the  bearer  of  such  a  message  had  in  some 
measure  blunted  his  sensibility.  Touched  by  this  reply, 
he  earnestly  entreated  the  Count's  pardon,  which  being 
granted  as  soon  as  asked,  and  the  breakfast  over,  the 
Major  was  surprised  to  see  the  carriage  drawn  up  to 
the  door  and  the  Count  ready  to  depart.  They  crossed 
the  Little  Belt  that  day  and  slept  at  Hardersleben.  At 
the  end  of  the  next  day's  journey  they  reached  Sleis- 
wick,  and  on  the  third,  totally  unawares  and  unexpected, 


174  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

they  arrived  at  Aschberg.  As  soon  as  they  had  got 
within  the  castle,  the  Count  bade  the  Major  welcome, 
and  invited  him  to  remain  as  long  as .  suited  his  con- 
venience. Although  some  persons  might  have  taken 
this  as  a  polite  hint,  that  the  sooner  he  departed  the 
more  pleasant  it  would  be,  the  Major  construed  it 
literally,  thanking  his  host  with  much  ceremony,  but 
said  he  should  remain  only  a  day  to  rest  himself.  The 
Count  ordered  a  noble  entertainment  to  be  served  up 
in  the  State  rooms.  His  domestics  wore  their  State 
liveries.  The  table  and  sideboard  were  covered  by 
massive  pieces  of  plate,  curiously  wrought,  that  different 
monarchs  had  presented  to  the  illustrious  warriors 
whose  achievements  rendered  the  name  of  Rantzau  so 
renowned  in  history.  His  wines  were  exquisite,  and 
whilst  they  dined  a  crowd  of  rustics,  dressed  in  their 
best  apparel,  waited  on  the  Count  to  welcome  him 
home.  A  bevy  of  fine  healthy  girls  brought  him 
nosegays  and  baskets  of  their  choicest  fruits,  and  the 
lawn  being  thrown  open,  opposite  to  the  magnificent 
room  where  the  Count  and  his  guest  were  sitting,  they 
witnessed  the  affection  and  gaiety  of  heart  with  which 
a  numerous  and  happy  tenantry  hailed  their  lord's 
return. 

The  following  morning  Major  Harboe  took  a  formal 
leave  of  Count  Rantzau,  who,  just  as  he  mounted  one 
of  the  finest  chargers  in  the  Count's  stud,  asked  him 
if  he  had  no  message  to  send  to  the  Queen- Mother. 
"  None  !  "  said  he  ;  "  except  you  please  to  tell  Her 
Majesty  what  a  delightful  spot  Aschberg  is,  and  how 
its  lord  was  received."      Nor   did   the    Major  forget   to 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  1 75 

report  the  enthusiasm  with  which  the  old  nobleman 
was  hailed  by  the  soldiery  on  his  journey,  particularly 
by  the  veterans  who  had  served  under  his  command, 
by  whom  he  appeared  to  be  idolised.  It  was  this 
popularity  with  the  army  that  induced  the  Queen- 
Mother  to  court  his  support  with  so  much  earnestness, 
and  the  same  feeling  prevented  their  instituting  any 
legal  process  whereby  his  ruin  might  have  been  com- 
pleted. 

The  unexpected  arrival  of  Major  Harboe  at  Oden- 
see,  and  the  sudden  departure  of  Rantzau,  prevented 
the  latter  from  apprising  Miss  Livernet  of  this  affair 
previous  to  his  setting  off  for  Aschberg.  When  the 
Count  hired  a  furnished  house  for  himself,  he  took  a 
smaller  one  for  his  mistress,  sending  his  valet,  under 
the  name  of  Kruger,  to  Copenhagen,  to  request  her 
return  with  the  messenger.  Ernestus  reached  the 
Princens  Palace  unobserved,  and  found  Miss  Livernet 
well  in  health  and  delighted  with  the  message,  and 
not  a  little  uneasy  on  her  protector's  account,  who  was 
extremely  unpopular  in  the  city  and  anathematised  by 
the  Court,  his  fall  and  banishment  having  excited 
vast  surprise  and  little  commiseration.  The  reigning 
party  were  generally  disliked,  but  they  were  also 
feared,  and  with  that  respect,  which  they  shared  in 
common  with  Satan,  they  were  forced  to  be  content. 
Miss  Livernet  and  her  waiting-maid  returned  with 
Ernestus,  under  the  name  of  Mr.  Kruger,  to  Odensee, 
and  shortly  after  her  father  and  brother  followed. 
The  Count  was  rather  embarrassed  with  this  addi- 
tion    to     his     suite,    and     asked     his     mistress     if    her 


176  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

father  was  a  member  of  the  Burgher-guard  ?  "  Yes, 
my  lord,  a  sergeant."  "  Most  excellent,"  said  he ; 
"  then  he  shall  wear  a  sergeant's  uniform  of  my 
regiment !  "  Thus  the  old  tailor  was  metamorphosed 
into  a  Holstein  sergeant ;  but  the  good  folks  in  the 
neighbourhood  soon  conjectured  that  he  was  more 
obliged  for  the  Count's  favour  to  his  daughter's  beauty 
than  his  military  services.  The  brother  of  Miss 
Livernet  was  a  capital  dancer ;  but  her  connection  with 
Count  Rantzau  reached  him,  and  he  was  discharged. 
Being  apprehensive  of  a  persecution,  or  desirous  of 
billeting  themselves  upon  the  Count,  the  father  and 
son  followed  their  daughter  and  sister  to  Odensee. 

Such  was  the  state  of  affairs  on  Count  Rantzau's 
sudden  departure.  Ernestus  knew  he  was  to  escort 
Miss  Livernet  to  Aschberg,  but  he  had  not  received 
any  directions  respecting  her  father  and  her  brother. 
He,  therefore,  suggested  that  they  should  embark  in  a 
vessel  then  ready  to  sail  for  Lubeck,  which  city  was 
only  a  few  hours'  ride  from  Aschberg,  and  there  await 
further  orders:  Miss  Livernet's  maid  preferring  a  sail 
through  the  maze  of  islands,  or  the  company  of  the 
younger  Livernet,  went  by  water  to  Lubeck  ;  and 
Ernestus  had  the  felicity  of  escorting  the  beautiful 
young  mistress  of  Count  Rantzau  from  Odensee  to 
Aschberg.  The  weather  was  delightful,  the  journey 
picturesque,  the  travellers  young  and  pleased  with  each 
other.  They  did  not  reach  Aschberg  quite  so  soon  as 
the  Count  expected  ;  but  they  assured  him  that  so 
many  horses  had  fallen  lame,  wheels  had  come  off,  and 
accidents  had  happened,  that  it  was  astonishing  they 
arrived  as  soon  as  they  did  ! 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  1 77 

They  found  the  old  Count  in  high  glee,  his  castle 
full  of  company,  and  nothing  but  feasting  and  revelry 
talked  of  as  they  approached  the  vicinity  of  Aschberg. 
The  Count  gave  the  reins  to  magnificence  and  pleasure. 
Balls,  concerts,  masquerades,  and  rural  sports  suc- 
ceeded each  other,  at  which  not  merely  the  nobility  in 
the  neighbourhood  assisted,  but  the  wealthy  sons  of 
traffic  from  Hamburg,  Altena,  and  Lubeck.  Such 
revelry  and  sober  dissipation  had  never  been  seen 
before,  except  on  Matilda's  recent  visit,  and  Aschberg 
seemed  more  to  resemble  the  country  palace  of  a 
favourite  minister  of  State  than  the  forced  residence 
of  a  banished  man. 

I  have  not  spared  the  Count's  vices.  They  were 
great  and  numerous.  I  ought  not,  therefore,  to  omit 
his  virtues,  amongst  which  his  generosity  held  the 
foremost  rank.  He  might  have  been  regarded  as  a 
model  of  what  a  landlord  should  be  if  he  had  not  em- 
ployed his  fascinating  manners,  his  polished  address, 
his  rank,  and  his  gold  to  corrupt  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  his  vassals.  From  his  earliest  youth  he 
had  given  himself  up  to  amatory  pursuits.  It  was  said 
of  him  by  the  ladies  of  Hamburg  that  the  Count  could 
never  be  forgotten  at  Aschberg  as  long  as  the  linea- 
ments of  his  face  were  discernible  amongst  his  vassals.1 

He  was  delighted  to  see  his  farmers  dress  and  live 
better  than  their  neighbours.     With  all  his  errors,  and 

1  This  formed  the  blackest  trait  in  the  character  of  Count 
Rantzau.  He  carried  vice  and  profligacy  into  the  cabins  of  his 
poor  illiterate  bondsmen.  It  could  scarcely  be  called  seduction, 
for  those  who  yielded  were  little  better  than  his  slaves. 

VOL.    I  12 


178  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

the  vast  power  that  his  high  rank  and  the  accursed 
feudal  system  gave  him,  he  was  never  known  to  op- 
press his  tenants,  or  sanction  any  act  of  fiscal  injustice 
towards  them. 

He  possessed  several  lordships  besides  Aschberg. 
He  caused  all  his  vassals  to  be  apprised  of  his  ensuing 
departure  for  a  distant  country,  never  to  return ;  and 
also  that  it  was  his  wish,  before  he  went  away,  to 
secure  all  his  tenants  in  their  present  possessions  by 
granting  them  long  leases,  which,  by  the  payment  of  a 
very  moderate  fine,  might  be  renewed.  He  forgave 
all  arrears  to  those  who  were  poor  or  had  large 
families,  increased  the  farms  of  those  who  had  too  little 
land,  and,  to  encourage  them  to  plant  fruit  trees  and 
timber,  he  covenanted  that,  at  the  expiration  of  their 
lease,  if  their  lords  wrould  not  purchase  at  a  fair 
valuation,  they  might  remove  the  trees.  As  a  Count 
of  the  Roman  Empire,  he  possessed  the  power  of  life 
and  death  over  his  vassals ;  but,  as  a  man,  he 
abhorred  the  brutal  and  degrading  system.  He  held  a 
local  court  of  justice  at  Aschberg,  not  to  enforce  those 
odious  rights,  but  to  ratify  and  confirm  all  the  grants 
he  had  made,  so  that  his  successor  should  not  have  it 
in  his  power,  were  he  so  inclined,  to  harass  or  oppress 
them.  This  solemnity  over,  he  gave  his  vassals  a 
general  invitation  to  his  castle ;  he  had  temporary 
sheds  erected  for  their  reception.  He  gave  them  such 
substantial  feasts  as  the  English  barons  are  said  to 
have  displayed  in  days  of  yore.  Tents  and  marquees 
were  provided  for  the  accommodation  of  the  higher 
classes ;    a    rustic    fair    was    held,    that    was    crowded 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  179 

with  bands  of  music,  players,  and  vendors  of  all  sorts 
of  bagatelles.  Such  was  the  last  splendid  fete  which 
this  magnificent  nobleman  gave  ere  he  took  his  last 
leave  of  his  native  home. 

These  festivities  over,  the  Count  packed  up  the 
massive  family  plate  that  had  accumulated  for  cen- 
turies. The  heavy  frames  of  solid  silver  were  taken 
from  the  large  Venetian  plates  of  glass  that  adorned 
the  State  apartments.  The  valuables  of  all  sorts  were 
removed,  great  part  of  which  he  sent  to  Hamburg  to 
be  converted  into  cash,  and  the  funds  remitted  to  Am- 
sterdam and  Paris.  One  of  his  last  labours  was  to 
examine  his  papers,  and  destroy  those  he  did  not 
wish  to  be  seen.  This  was  a  painful  task ;  for  it 
brought  once  more  under  his  eye  the  warm  and 
grateful  epistles  written  by  the  unhappy  Struensee, 
when  he  looked  up  to  Count  Rantzau  as  his  friend 
and  patron.  The  sight  of  those  papers  touched  his 
heart;  nor  could  he  help  feeling  remorse  now  that 
time  had  abated  his  resentments,  and  he  was  about 
to  go  into  perpetual  exile.  If  the  firm  texture  of 
his  mind  had  not  been  his  shield,  he  must  have 
dreaded  an  assassin  in  every  stranger,  as  scarcely  a 
day  passed  when  the  Copenhagen  post  arrived  that  he 
did  not  receive  anonymous  letters  couched  in  the  most 
opprobrious  terms,  and  threatening  him  with  death ! 
These,  whilst  he  lived  in  the  midst  of  his  tenants, 
he  totally  disregarded  ;  but  it  struck  him  that  he 
might  be  pursued  abroad  by  assassins  employed  by 
Juliana  or  her  cabal,  who  might  be  glad  to  be  rid 
of    one   who   knew   so    much    of    their   wickedness ;    he 

12 — 2 


IOO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

therefore  determined  to  travel  incognito,  and,  if  possible, 
remain  unknown. 

Just  before  he  set  off  from  the  spot  where  he 
drew  his  first  breath,  he  called  his  valet  before  him, 
and  asked,  had  he  any  objection  to  travel  with  him 
to  France  and  Italy,  promising  to  provide  for  him 
in  his  will  if  he  accepted  his  offer,  and  conducted 
himself  as  he  hitherto  had  done.  Ernestus  readily 
agreed.  The  Count  had  already  made  Miss  Livernet 
independent ;  and  he  gave  her  the  offer  of  quitting, 
or  going  into  exile  with  him,  telling  her,  as  he  wished 
to  travel  really  incognito,  if  she  accompanied  him,  it 
must  be  in  man's  attire.  The  Count  was  agreeably 
surprised  to  find  that  her  only  fears  were  that  she 
should  be  left  behind.  Understanding  that  the  Count 
had  sold  his  plate  and  other  valuables,  the  generous 
girl  offered  him  back,  not  only  the  money  he  had  given 
her,  but  all  that  she  had  saved  as  first  opera-dancer. 
The  old  gentleman  pressed  her  to  his  bosom,  gave  her 
a  hearty  kiss,  and  told  her  that  all  he  wished  was  her 
company,  if  agreeable  ;  and  as  to  the  sale  of  his  plate, 
he  did  it  to  save  the  purses  of  his  vassals.1 

After  he  should  have  arranged  his  affairs  at  Am- 
sterdam, the  Count  intended  to  assume  the  name  of 
Breitenburg,2  and    that    Miss    Livernet    should   pass    as 

i  Amongst  the  measures  adopted  by  Count  Rantzau  to  pro- 
mote the  future  welfare  of  his  vassals,  it  appears  singular  he  did 
not  at  once  emancipate  them.  Perhaps  he  feared  if  he  did  so 
it  might  have  been  construed  as  sedition  by  his  political  enemies, 
and  thus  have  injured  the  peasantry. 

2  There  is,  or  was,  a  castle  of  that  name  not  far  from  Itzehoe 
which  formerly  belonged  to  the  Counts  Rantzau,  and  was  formerly 
their  principal  residence. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  101 

his  nephew.  He  also  designed  to  leave  Aschberg 
privately ;  but  the  anxious  vassals  kept  such  vigilant 
watch  that,  touched  by  their  affection  rather  than 
influenced  by  pride,  he  set  off  in  his  State  carriage  and 
liveries,  attended  by  his  numerous  tenantry  on  horse- 
back and  foot,  amongst  whom  there  was  scarcely  one 
but  really  felt  regret  at  the  Count's  departure.  When 
he  arrived  at  the  confines  of  his  estates  the  doors  of 
his  coach  were  opened  to  admit  those  who  pleased  to 
take  a  personal  leave,  when  a  scene  ensued  as  would 
be  difficult  to  describe,  the  grateful  creatures  embracing 
the  Count's  legs  and  knees,  kissing  his  hands,  and  be- 
dewing them  with  their  tears.  Full  two  hours  were 
passed  in  this  melancholy  ceremony.  Many  fell  on 
their  knees  by  the  roadside  to  pray  for  blessings  on 
their  generous  protector ;  and  when  at  last  the  caval- 
cade proceeded,  the  grateful  rustics  stood  uncovered  till 
a  turn  of  the  road  excluded  any  further  view.  Such 
were  the  honours  spontaneously  paid  to  Count  Rantzau 
by  his  vassals  on  his  going  into  perpetual  banishment. 
Shortly  after  the  Count  had  arrived  at  Hamburg  he 
was  insulted  by  a  Danish  officer,  who  was  in  hopes  that 
he  might  thereby  promote  his  interest  at  Court.  The 
Count  was,  however,  so  much  respected  by  the  burgo- 
masters, who  had  not  forgotten  the  services  he  rendered 
their  city  when  seized  by  Frederick  V.,  that  the 
officer  was  arrested,  escorted   to   the   gates  of   Altena,1 

i  "Al-te-na!"  [i.e.,  "much  too  near")  said  a  Danish  King  as 
he  surveyed  the  spot  whereon  Altena  was  afterwards  built.  The 
King  spoke  in  reference  to  Hamburg,  to  which  exclamation  the 
name  was  owing. 


l82  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

and  forbade  to  return  whilst  the  Count  remained  in 
Hamburg.  Notwithstanding  this  protection  by  the 
ruling  magistrates,  and  the  popularity  excited  by  his 
recent  and  past  hospitalities,  Count  Rantzau  perceived, 
wherever  he  went,  that  his  appearance  excited  hostile 
feelings.  One  morning,  when  the  Count  felt  more  than 
commonly  low  and  desponding,  his  young  valet  said, 
after  much  hesitation,  "  I  am  afraid  what  I  am  about 
to  tell  your  excellency  may  displease  you  ;  at  all  events 
I  know  too  well  it  will  give  you  pain.  It  relates  to  a 
solemn  promise  I  made  to  my  late  master  :  may  I  pro- 
ceed ?  "  Count  Rantzau  coloured.  Ernestus  thought 
he  was  angry,  and  stopped  speaking.  The  Count,  who 
was  daily  becoming  nervous,  struck  by  the  solemn 
tone  and  manner  of  his  servant,  felt  the  blood  rush  to 
his  furrowed  cheeks,  and  seeing  the  effect  it  had  on 
Ernestus,  with  the  greatest  mildness  he  encouraged  him 
to  proceed.  With  his  eyes  full  of  tears,  and,  in  a 
mournful  tone  of  voice,  Ernestus  thus  obeyed :  "  As 
we  are  now  out  of  Denmark,  and  not  more  than  a 
day's  journey  from  Zell,  I  could  not  reconcile  it  to 
my  conscience  to  fail  in  the  performance  of  a  sacred 
and  voluntary  promise.  I  am  sure  you  harbour  no 
resentment  against  the  dead,  and  your  excellency  has 
often  in  my  hearing  expressed  respect  and  commisera- 
tion towards  the  Queen."  The  Count  nodded  assent, 
holding  his  left  hand  across  his  eyes.  "  Upon  my  first 
interview  with  my  master  after  our  arrest,  I  was,  of 
course,  violently  affected,  and  not  at  my  own  captivity 
alone.  He  was  sitting  on  the  side  of  his  bed,  his  head 
resting  on  his  hand,  looking  the  image  of  despair.     My 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  183 

presence  seemed  to  revive  him  a  little.  He  called  me 
to  him,  embraced  me,  and,  resting  his  burning  forehead 
on  my  shoulder,  he  kissed  my  cheek  !  I  was  so  affected, 
I  sank  down  at  his  feet,  in  which  posture,  in  a  few 
minutes  afterwards,  I  handed  him  his  purse.  Whilst 
he  leant  and  wept  over  me,  he  slipped  from  his  bosom 
a  miniature  picture  given  him  by  the  Queen.  It  was 
her  own  likeness  as  she  arrived  in  Denmark.  The 
Count  whispered  softly  in  my  ear,  '  If  I  escape  death, 
preserve  this  for  me ;  if  I  perish,  as  I  expect  I  shall, 
convey  it  to  the  Queen.'  I  put  it  in  a  private  pocket 
in  my  waistcoat.  When  I  was  searched  it  was  not 
found.  Here  it  is,"  said  Ernestus,  handing  to  the  Count 
a  portrait,  painted,  I  believe,  by  Reynolds,  mounted  in 
gold  and  set  with  brilliants.  The  Count  looked  at  it 
with  strong  emotions :  respect,  commiseration  and  re- 
morse were  visible  in  his  countenance.  He  turned  pale 
as  death,  whilst  the  cheeks  of  Ernestus  were  covered 
with  tears.  The  Count  gazed  mournfully  on  the  por- 
trait for  a  minute  or  more,  and  then  exclaimed  :  "  Un- 
happy lady,  I  solemnly  take  God  to  witness  that  if  my 
treatment  of  you  was  harsh,  my  motives  were  mer- 
ciful ;  but  thy  maledictions  are  fulfilling !  Already  I 
am  thrown  down  by  those  whom  I  set  up  !  Like  thee, 
Matilda,  am  I  in  exile.  Thy  fall  excited  the  warmest  sym- 
pathy ;  mine,  universal  satisfaction.  To  avoid  the  finger 
of  public  scorn,  or  the  less  poignant  stiletto  of  the  assas- 
sin, I  shall  be  reduced  to  lay  aside  my  name.  Even  my 
ashes  shall  find  no  sepulchre,  except  in  a  foreign  land. 
No  sculptured  stone  must  tell  whose  bones  rest  there, 
or  execrations  will  pursue  me  even   beyond  the  grave  ; 


184  SECRET    HISTORY    OF     THE 

and  perhaps  my  remains,  torn  from  the  tomb,  may, 
like  Struensee's,  be  scattered  and  devoured  by  the 
fowls  of  the  air!"  Never,  at  any  previous  moment, 
had  Ernestus  seen  the  Count  so  extremely  agitated. 
Some  minutes  elapsed  ere  he  spoke  to  Ernestus.  At 
last,  in  a  subdued  tone,  he  said  to  his  weeping  valet, 
"  Go,  liebe  karl,1  leave  me,  and  return  when  the  bell 
rings."  It  was  a  full  hour  before  he  was  called. 
The  Count  was  calm,  but  his  countenance  bore  more 
legible  marks  of  the  mental  sufferings  by  which  his 
bosom  was  rent.  "  You  told  me,"  said  he,  mildly, 
"it  was  a  portrait  of  the  Queen;  but  you  did  not 
name  the  little  cherub  whose  likeness  is  concealed 
within  the  crystal,  under  the  crown  and  cipher  wrought 
of  the  Queen's  hair?"  "I  did  not  know  of  any  such 
thing,  your  excellency,"  said  Ernestus.  "  Then  see 
it  now,  my  poor  fellow,"  said  the  Count.  "  I  am 
sure  it  will  present  an  object  that  will  touch  thy 
susceptible  heart."  He  then  moved  a  secret  spring, 
and  the  astonished  young  man  saw  a  miniature  of  the 
young  Princess  Louisa  Augusta,  her  celestial  features 
dressed  in  smiles  and  surrounded  by  budding  roses 
— the  likeness  so  strong,  so  exquisitely  drawn  and 
painted,  that  its  freshness,  animation,  and  delicacy 
seemed  almost  to  equal  the  beautiful  and  innocent 
original.  "  It  is  the  face  of  a  cherub  delineated  by 
the  pencil  of  an  angel,"  said  the  Count.  "  Then  that 
angel  was  the  Queen,  your  excellency ;  for  I  well 
remember  one  morning,  as  I  was  dressing  the  Queen's 

1  An   expression   answering  in   English  to   "my  good  fellow" 
if  addressed  to  an  equal  it  means  "  my  dear  fellow." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  185 

hair,1  that  Lady  Gohler  asked  to  see  the  likeness 
of  the  young  Princess,  and  I  am  sure  this  is  it ; 
but  it  was  not  set."  "  How  do  you  know  it  was 
painted  by  Queen  Matilda  ?  "  "  Because  on  Lady 
Gohler  saying  it  was  executed  in  a  manner  superior 
to  the  best  style  of  any  professional  artist,  the  Queen 
replied,  '  If  an  artist  loved  his  infant  as  tenderly  as 
I  love  mine,  natural  affection  would  prompt  him  to 
excel  himself.'  "  "  Then  it  is  hers  indeed,"  exclaimed 
the  Count,  "  and  I  am  weary  of  existence !  I  am 
half-inclined  to  go  to  Zell,  hand  this  precious 
relic  to  the  Queen,  and  end  in  her  presence  a  life 
that  is  insupportable !  "  The  remainder  of  that  day 
he  spent  in  his  chamber,  and  told  his  valet  to  be 
ready  to  set  off  for  Zell  the  following  morning. 
Alarmed  at  his  expressions,  Ernestus  went  to  the  fair 
Livernet  and  told  her  confidentially  what  had  passed 
that  moment   between  him  and  the  Count.     She  shook 

her  head,  and  said,  "  Depend  on  it, "  (calling  him 

by  his  surname),  "the  arrest  of  Queen  Matilda  will  lead 
to  the  death  of  the  Count.  I  know  his  heart  is  secretly 
a  prey  to  the  most  deadly  anguish.  With  all  his  faults 
he  is  generous,  munificent  and  kind.  He  has  been  out- 
witted by  a  fiend.  I  agreed  to  travel  with  him  because, 
in  the  first   place,  I  really  respect  him,    and  would  not 


1  Ernestus  was  reckoned  the  first  friseur  in  the  Court ;  and 
often  dressed  the  Queen's  hair  if  her  hair-dresser,  M.  Andreas 
Burchas,  were  indisposed.  Struensee  was  extremely  particular  as 
to  his  hair,  which  he  wore  dressed  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
Queen's.  His  toilette  was  magnificent ;  and  he  was  profuse  in 
the  use  of  the  richest  and  most  costly  perfumes  :  in  every  point 
he  was  an  epicure  and  voluptuary. 


l86  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

appear  that  mercenary  being  that  was  solely  attracted 
by  his  rank  and  high  estate,  and  who  fled  when  adversity 
fell  upon  him.  I  have  witnessed  paroxysms  that  have 
made  me  shudder.  In  those  moments  I  have  found 
myself  able  to  subdue  his  rage  and  recall  his  reasoning 
powers.  That  forms  a  second  cause  why  I  have  agreed 
to  accompany  the  Count  in  his  undefined  travels,  and 
in  the  disguise  of  a  man."  She  might  have  added  a 
third,  more  potent,  perhaps,  than  either,  i.e.,  her  secret 
attachment  to  Ernestus,  whose  handsome  face  and  figure 
and  kind  disposition  had  made  a  complete  conquest  of 
her  heart. 

Miss  Livernet  felt  more  uneasiness  than  she  chose 
to  express.  Her  confidence  in  the  discernment  of  the 
blue-eyed  Norwegian  was  not  small.  She  went  with 
a  palpitating  bosom  to  the  Count ;  and  suddenly  assum- 
ing a  gaiety  that  was  a  stranger  to  her  heart,  ran  smiling 
into  his  room.  She  found  him  with  a  pistol  in  his  hand 
that  he  appeared  to  be  loading.  His  looks  were  wild 
and  haggard.  Turning  his  glaring  eye-balls  towards 
the  door,  he  asked  her  sternly  how  she  dare  approach 
unbidden  and  without  notice  ?  Instead  of  reply,  she 
rushed  to  his  bosom,  and  throwing  her  arms  round 
his  neck,  entreated  him  to  leave  Hamburg,  and  not 
risk  his  life  by  a  duel  with  that  wretched  parasite  who 
hoped  for  eclat  and  preferment  as  the  reward  of  his 
insolence.  "  Your  character  for  courage,  my  dear 
Count,"  said  the  artful  pleader  (who  marked  the 
intended  suicide,  but  glanced  only  at  a  duel),  "  is  too 
well  established  to  suffer  by  your  refusing  to  meet 
every    desperado    who    may    dare    to    challenge    you." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  187 

The  Count,  deceived  in  thinking  Sophia  Livernet  was 
deceived,  suffered  her  to  return  the  pistols  to  the  case 
whence  he  had  thus  taken  them.  Kissing  off  the  tear 
that  glistened  in  her  bright  eyes,  the  volatile  old  noble- 
man forgot,  in  the  caresses  of  that  fascinating  girl,  the 
dreadful  purpose  he  had  in  view  when  she  entered  ;  for, 
goaded  to  desperation  by  the  storm  of  passions  that 
raged  in  his  bosom,  he  had  in  a  frantic  moment  seized 
his  pistols,  and  if  his  faithful  guardian  had  not  drawn 
the  charges  from  his  pistols  when  he  returned  to  his 
quarters  the  night  before,  his  own  hands  had  terminated 
his  existence. 

The  accomplishments  of  Miss  Livernet  were  not 
confined  to  her  graceful  dancing ;  she  had  a  sweet 
voice,  and  was  enthusiastically  devoted  to  music.  A 
pedal  harp  stood  in  the  room,  and  some  music  books 
lay  strewn  on  a  table.  She  took  her  seat  at  the 
harp,  and  played  some  plaintive  German  airs,  accom- 
panied by  her  dulcet  voice,  that  drove  away  the 
melancholy  which  had  filled  the  Count's  bosom,  who 
was  a  votary  of  Apollo  as  well  as  of  Venus.  Fasci- 
nated by  the  skill  and  pathos  of  the  fair  girl,  the 
enraptured  nobleman  clasped  her  in  his  arms,  and 
said,  with  vehemence,  "Sophia!  thou  art  dearer  to 
me  than  all  my  possessions  beside !  Say,  my  be- 
loved, how  can  I  recompense  thee  ?  Speak  boldly, 
for  were  it  to  make  thee  Countess  Rantzau,  I  would 
not  refuse!"  Smiling  at  his  gallantry,  and,  perhaps, 
exulting  in  the  power  of  beauty  and  music,  she  said, 
"  Promise  me,  then,  on  your  word  and  honour,  never 
more,    be    your    trials    what    they    may,    to    think    of 


ISO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

suicide."  The  Count  was  amazed.  In  a  moment  he 
recollected  the  circumstance  of  his  pistols  being  un- 
loaded when  he  thought  to  have  found  them  charged ; 
and  he  felt  that  to  her  vigilance  he  was  indebted  for  his 
life.  For  some  moments  he  was  unable  to  speak.  At 
last  he  said,  in  a  solemn  tone,  "  I  promise  thee, 
noblest  of  women,  never  to  raise  my  hand  against 
my  life  ;  and  if  you  will  accept  that  hand,  thou 
shalt    be   my   countess." 

Sophia  thanked  him  for  the  first  part  of  his 
promise,  and  with  ineffable  sweetness  told  him  she 
would  rather  possess  his  love  as  his  mistress  than 
run  the  risk  of  being  despised  as  his  wife.  "  Reflect, 
my  lord,"  said  she,  "on  the  ridicule  and  disgrace 
you  must  encounter  were  you  to  marry  me,  and  have 
a  tailor  for  your  father-in-law !  I  should  be  cursed 
as  a  wicked,  cunning  jade ;  and,  ten  to  one,  if  you 
died  first,  your  heirs  would  find  means  to  annul  the 
marriage  and  strip  me  of  my  fine  title !  No,  my 
dear  Count,  I  dare  not  venture  to  become  your  wife. 
Only  yesterday  morning,  dressed  as  a  country  girl 
with  a  basket  of  flowers,  I  followed  among  three  or 
four  blooming  lasses  into  your  august  presence.  Be- 
cause I  had  changed  the  colour  of  my  hair,  rouged 
my  cheeks,  and  learned  my  plaat  Duitsch1  pretty  well, 
my  sagacious  lord  did  not  know  me !  yet  you  gave 
me  the  preference,  kissed  me  till  I  trembled  for  my 
rouge,  and  told  me  to  be  at  the  back  door  at  eight 
o'clock ;    and    here,    your    excellency,    are   the   necklace 

i  The  language  spoken  by  the  country  people  who  live  in 
the  vicinity  of  Hamburg  is  called  plaat  Duitsch,  i.e.,  low  German. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN    AND     DENMARK  189 

and  the  ear-rings  that  you  then  gave  me."  The  Count 
could  scarcely  believe  his  eyes.  "  What  the  devil 
does  all  this  mean  ? "  said  he.  "  Were  you  indeed 
the  flower-girl  whose  bewitching  eyes  and  well-formed 
bosom  caught  my  attention  ? "  "  Yes,  indeed,  my 
lord,  I  am  that  very  girl  over  whose  virtue  you 
thought  to  triumph  by  tempting  her  avarice.  As 
your  mistress,  my  lord  Count,  I  can  bear  these 
youthful  sallies  ;  but,  as  a  countess,  I  should,  perhaps, 
trouble  you  with  complaints  or  remonstrances.  I 
might  say,  if  at  twenty  years  of  age  I  were  content 
with  a  lover  of  threescore,  I  could  not  tell  why  my 
husband  required  a  dozen  flower-girls  to  attend  his 
toilette  every  morning,  and  should  soon  offend  you ; 
and  shall,  therefore,  never  accept  the  honour  of  being 
your  countess !  "  He  laughed  heartily  at  her  lively 
wit.  No  longer  thinking  of  Matilda,  the  portraits,  or 
of  suicide,  he  that  day  gave  himself  up  to  the 
fascinating  girl  who  stepped  a  minuet  more  gracefully 
than  any  woman  in  Denmark,  and  to  please  the 
Count,  exerted  her  talents  to  the  utmost.  She  put 
on  the  costume  in  which  the  day  before  she  had 
beguiled  him  of  his  trinkets  !  She  sang,  she  danced, 
she  played ;  she  encouraged  him  to  smoke.  He  drank 
a  whole  bottle  of  Chateau  Margaux.  At  last  he  sang 
some  favourite  duets  with  his  attractive  mistress,  and, 
giving  the  reins  to  dalliance,  swore  that  he  was  still 
the  happiest  man  alive,  and  never  more  would  suffer 
the  blue  devils  to  get  the  upper  hand  of  him !  In 
the  course  of  the  evening  he  told  her  of  that  secret 
she    already    knew    from    Ernestus ;    and    the    tender- 


igo  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

hearted  girl,  as  she  surveyed  the  portraits,  dropped 
a  tear  on  the  highly-wrought  trinket.  She  strove, 
however,  to  suppress  her  emotions,  and,  in  a  careless 
tone,  said,  "  You  see  I  could  deceive  your  excellency. 
Shall  I  carry  this  precious  picture  to  the  Queen  ? 
She  will  not  recollect  one  whom  she  never  saw  except 
in  a  ballet."  The  idea  pleased  the  versatile  Count, 
who,  within  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  had  ex- 
perienced the  pangs  of  the  fellest  remorse  and  the 
thrilling  delights  of  refined  sensuality.  Looking  archly 
in  her  face,  he  said,  "  Shall  Ernestus  attend  you  ?  I 
know  you  have  a  good  opinion  of  that  youth,  and 
perhaps  would  rather  be  his  wife  than  my  countess  ?  " 
The  playful  girl  parried  this  unexpected  hit  by  saying 
that,  next  to  his  lordship's  company,  none  other  would 
be  more  welcome.  Ernestus  was  delighted  with  the 
charge.  He  dressed  himself  in  a  handsome  suit  of 
mourning.  Miss  Livernet  arrayed  her  lovely  person 
in  the  picturesque  habit  of  a  wealthy  Hamburg  mer- 
chant's daughter,  and  they  set  off  on  their  destination 
time  enough  to  reach  it  ere  night.  They  crossed  the 
dreary  tracts  of  sand,  and  having  arrived  at  Zell,  they 
went  to  the  principal  inn.  After  having  taken  some 
refreshment,  the  young  travellers,  full  of  the  interesting 
objects  of  their  mission,  went  to  reconnoitre  the  present 
residence  of  Queen  Matilda,  in  whose  praise  the  people 
of  the  inn  were  profusely  lavish ;  and  not  less  so  of 
their  execrations  against  those  who  had  occasioned  her 
misfortunes.  "  It  is  well  the  Count  is  not  here, 
Ernestus,  to  hear  this,"  said  Miss  Livernet.  "  It  is 
well,    indeed,"    the     young     man     replied  ;     "  I     often 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  igi 

shudder  at  hearing  such  terrible  things  as  are  said 
of  him  at  Hamburg,  particularly  by  the  English." 
"  I  wish,"  said  Sophia,  "  our  dear  Count  was  safe 
out  of  Hamburg,  for  I  think  he  would  not  be  in 
as  great  danger  anywhere  else."  Ernestus  shook 
his  head,  and  said  the  presentiment  on  his  mind 
was  that  he  would  come  to  an  untimely  end.  Just 
as  Ernestus  said  this,  the  guide  who  went  before 
them  made  a  halt,  and  told  them  they  were  arrived  near 
the  palace,  and  asked  if  he  should  enquire  for  anyone 
within  ?  This  intelligence  arrested  their  discourse. 
They  saw  they  were  arrived  at  the  outskirts  of  the  town, 
and  that  before  them  appeared  a  large  fortification 
surrounded  by  a  broad  moat  full  of  water.  All  was  still 
and  silent.  Dark  masses  of  building  appeared  to  rise 
within  above  the  ramparts.  All  they  heard,  save  their 
own  voices,  was  the  heavy  tread  of  a  couple  of  sentinels 
upon  the  drawbridge.  The  moon  burst  forth  in  great 
splendour  as  a  dark  cloud  passed  away,  and  for  a  few 
moments  showed  the  form  of  the  palace  before  them.  It 
appeared  old,  decayed  and  gloomy.  "  In  what  part  of 
this  pile  does  the  Queen  reside  ?  "  said  Ernestus.  "  In 
the  square  building  in  the  centre.  It  was  once  a  very 
grand  palace,  before  the  last  Duke  surrendered  the 
Duchy  of  Zell  to  his  brother,  George  I.,  King  of 
England."  "  Grand  palace  !  "  said  Ernestus  ;  "  and  is 
this  the  residence  of  her  who  was  mistress  of  Christian- 
borg  !  "  "  You  are  a  Dane,"  said  the  guide;  "do  you 
wish  to  see  your  Queen  ?  She  is  very  fond  of  seeing  her 
subjects,  particularly  if  they  bring  her  any  news  of  her 
children."     "  Then,  sir,  we  have  news  she  will  be  glad  to 


192  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

hear,"  said  Miss  Livernet.  Ernestus  then  asked  the 
guide  what  Danish  attendants  the  Queen  had  with  her  ? 
"  Not  many,  I  should  hope,"  said  the  Hanoverian, 
proudly  ;  "  but  here  comes  one  who  can  tell  you  more  !  " 
As  he  said  this,  Stuart  came  up,  and,  in  a  tone  of 
pleasure  and  surprise,  said,  "  My  God  !  is  it  possible  ! 
is  this  not  Ernestus  ? "  The  meeting  was  alike  un- 
expected and  agreeable.  Ernestus  told  him  that  the  lady 
with  him  was  from  Hamburg,  and  invited  Stuart  to  their 
quarters.  The  two  domestics  had,  of  course,  a  world  of 
questions  to  ask  and  answer,  and  the  result  was,  that 
after  Stuart  was  made  acquainted  with  the  purport  of 
their  journey,  he  advised  Ernestus  not  to  appear  unless 
the  Queen  enquired  for  him.  "  She  has  now,"  said  he, 
"  become  tranquil,  resigned,  and  in  some  measure  recon- 
ciled to  her  condition.  The  sight  of  you  may  make  all 
her  wounds  bleed  afresh  ;  let,  therefore,  Miss  Kruger  see 
her  first,  to  give  this  valued  present.  If  the  Queen  asks 
to  see  you,  this  lady  will  say  that  you  are  near.  A  cousin 
of  hers,  a  Princess  of  Saxe-Gotha,  is  now  with  Her 
Majesty.  They  are  just  returned  from  a  tour  to  see  the 
Castle  of  Ahlden,  about  twenty  miles  distant,  where  the 
wife  of  George  I.  was  confined  so  many  years.  Neither 
the  country,  nor  the  castle,  nor  the  sad  history  connected 
with  it  are  calculated  to  cheer  her  spirits.  You  would 
scarcely  know  her,  so  greatly  is  she  changed ;  and 
this  visit,  though  it  will  please  her,  will,  I  know,  almost 
break  her  heart.  Come  you  to-morrow  morning  about 
nine :  I  will  tell  her  that  a  lady  from  Hamburg  wishes  to 
see  her  alone  and  on  very  particular  business."  Then, 
looking  kindly    at    Sophia,    the    faithful    domestic    said, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN'     AND     DENMARK  I93 

"  You  need  no  better  passport,  madam,  than  your  own 
beautiful  face." 

Sophia  Livernet,  dressed  in  her  Hamburg  costume 
(which  was  rich  and  highly  becoming),  was  at  the 
portal  of  the  palace  at  the  appointed  time.  Stuart 
was  there  waiting.  He  conducted  the  fair  stranger 
through  various  apartments  that  bore  evident  marks 
of  past  grandeur  and  present  decay.  In  one  that 
was  furnished  in  the  modern  style  he  asked  her  to 
wait  whilst  he  went  to  announce  her  arrival. 

He  returned  instantly ;  and  such  was  the  agitation 
of  the  Queen  and  her  eagerness  to  see  this  fair 
stranger — of  whose  beauty  and  graceful  demeanour 
Stuart  had  spoken  so  highly — that  she  met  her  near 
the  door  of  her  breakfast-room.  In  the  kindest  tone 
of  voice  and  benignity  of  aspect,  the  graceful  Queen 
encouraged  Sophia  to  speak  without  fear  or  reserve. 

In  this  interview  Miss  Livernet  was  no  actress. 
Her  intelligent  countenance  showed  that  her  bosom 
laboured  with  some  important  secret.  Her  modest 
look  and  respectful  demeanour  were  pledges  for  the 
sincerity  of  her  goodwill  towards  the  august  personage 
she  had  the  honour  of  beholding.  The  Queen  was 
struck  no  less  by  her  beauty  than  with  the  elegance 
of  her  form  and  the  propriety  of  her  carriage.  Had 
she  been  bred  in  a  Court  she  could  not  have  shown 
more  true  politeness.  Taking  her  by  the  hand,  Matilda 
said  to  her  in  German,  "Stuart  tells  me  you  come  to 
bring  me  tidings  of  my  children.  Do  not  keep  me 
in  suspense,  but  tell  me,  are  they  well  ?  How  is  my 
dear  boy  and  my  darling  Louisa  Augusta  ?  "  As  the 
vol.  1  13 


194       •  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Queen  spoke,  Sophia  dropped  on  one  knee.  With 
her  head  half-averted,  not  to  disturb  Her  Majesty 
with  too  rude  a  gaze,  she  gently  held  towards  her 
the  miniature  of  her  child.  The  moment  her  eye 
caught  the  well-known  portrait  of  her  infant,  she 
exclaimed,  "  Heavens,  it  is  my  Louisa !  Where  ! 
when  !  how  did  you  procure  this  portrait  ?  Tell  me, 
ere  my  heart  bursts  with  expectation."  "  It  was 
given  by  a  deceased  nobleman  to  his  valet,  and  by 
that  person  consigned  to  my  hands  to  be  delivered 
to  Your  Majesty."  "A  thousand  and  a  thousand 
thanks,  sweet  girl,  for  the  precious  gift.  See  how 
the  innocent  smiles  at  her  unhappy  mother !  Never 
whilst  I  have  life  shall  this  dear  image  be  parted 
from  my  bosom."  During  this  time  the  beauteous 
stranger  remained  kneeling.  Presently  the  Queen, 
whose  emotions  nearly  overpowered  her,  exclaimed, 
"  Forgive  me,  young  lady,  for  suffering  you  to  remain 
in  that  posture ;  let  a  grateful  mother  thus  thank 
you  for  the  most  welcome  gift  that  you  could  have 
brought — my  babes  alone  excepted."  Saying  this, 
she  raised  her  to  her  bosom  and  kissed  her  cheek  ; 
then,  leading  her  to  a  chair,  the  Queen  commanded 
her  to  be  seated,  and  she  showed  the  truest  sense 
of  politeness  by  instantly  obeying. 

The  Queen  shed  tears  in  profusion — they  relieved 
her  full-fraught  heart.  She  kept  kissing  the  picture 
of  her  infant  with  more  real  devotion  than  ever  the 
most  zealous  Catholic  felt  for  the  relic  of  a  deity  or 
saint.  Then,  looking  wistfully  at  Miss  Livernet,  she 
said,   her  lips  quivering  as   she  spoke,   "  How  did  this 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  IQ5 

escape  the  lynx-eyed  vigilance  of  my  destroyers? 
Where  is  the  valet  ?  Ah  !  what  a  dreadful  hour  that 
was  when  last  I  saw  him  !  My  heart  has  since  had 
many  trials,  and  this  is  not  the  least  painful.  I  am 
now,"  continued  she,  "  a  veteran  in  sorrow,  though  so 
young  in  years.  Fate  has  crowded  into  the  last  ten 
months  of  my  life  more  misery  than,  if  spun  out  to 
the  length  of  a  century,  might  have  embittered  every 
hour!"  Then,  adverting  to  Ernestus,  she  said,  "He 
must  have  run  great  risks  in  saving  this  for  me.  I 
wish  to  see  him — and  yet,  perhaps,  I  ought  not,  on 
account  of  the  recollections  it  will  occasion."  Fix- 
ing her  eyes  on  the  young  stranger,  Matilda  suddenly 
exclaimed,  "  Surely  I  have  seen  your  face  before. 
Were  you  ever  in  Copenhagen  ?  "  "I  have  been 
there,  madam,  and  have  had  the  honour  of  seeing 
Your  Majesty  at  the  Opera."  "  Ah!"  said  she,  rapidly, 
"that  is  it.  You  resemble  a  favourite  dancer  belong- 
ing to  the  Opera."  Matilda  then  asked  if  Ernestus 
was  still  in  Denmark?  and  was  told  he  was  in  Zell. 
"  I  respect  his  delicacy  in  sending  the  portrait  by  a 
female,"  said  the  Queen  ;  then  taking  from  her  side 
a  gold  watch  and  superb  appendages,  gave  it  to  her 
fair  guest,  saying,  "  Accept  of  this  as  a  memorial 
of  my  esteem.  Before  you  leave  Zell  I  wish  to  con- 
verse with  you  again  ;  and  should  you  ever  stand  in 
need  of  a  friend,  you  may  reckon  on  me  as  one  who 
will  never  fail  you.  Tell  Ernestus,"  said  she,  "  I  will 
see  him  two  hours  hence."  The  Queen  then  rose, 
and  her  fair  guest,  in  a  lowly  posture,  with  equal 
grace  and  reverence,  kissed  her  offered  hand  ;    Matilda 

13—2 


I96  SECRET     HISTORY    OF    THE 

saluting  Sophia  on  the  cheek.      Stuart   then  conducted 

Miss   Livernet    to    the    apartment    of    Madame  ,    a 

lady  of  her  household,  who  kindly  pressed  her  to  take 
refreshments,  discoursing  with  her  in  the  most  affable 
manner,  while  Stuart  went  to  prepare  Ernestus  for  the 
approaching  interview. 

The  valet  felt  infinitely  embarrassed  on  account  of 
being  in  the  service  of  Count  Rantzau.  He  had  not 
been  candid  enough  to  tell  that  circumstance  to  Stuart, 
and  he  was  indecisive  how  to  act,  and  half-inclined  to 
conceal  it.  He  was  undetermined  till  after  he  found 
himself  in  the  presence  of  his  Queen. 

Matilda  received  him  seated  on  a  sofa.  She  turned 
her  head  aside,  covering  her  fair  face  with  a  handker- 
chief; her  whole  frame  shook,  and  she  appeared  almost 
suffocated  with  painful  feelings.  Full  ten  minutes 
elapsed  ere  she  became  sufficiently  composed  to  ask 
him  questions,  and  the  valet,  not  less  agitated,  could 
scarcely  reply.  Her  first  questions  were  about  her 
children.  Matilda  looked  much  disappointed  when  she 
learnt  that  he  had  no  recent  intelligence  to  give.  She 
then  commanded  him  to  relate  his  own  adventures. 
In  a  tremulous  tone  he  narrated  the  leading  incidents 
that  had  occurred.  After  several  questions  of  inferior 
interest — waiting,  as  it  were,  to  acquire  firmness  to 
put  that  which  had  its  fibres  entwined  in  her  heart's 
core — Matilda,  in  a  manner  indescribably  touching  and 
mournful,  said,  "  I  have  been  told  that  recourse  was 
had  to  actual  torture  to  force  him  to  accuse  mc. 
Tell  me,  Ernestus,  without  duplicity  or  reserve,  do 
you  believe  that  my  merciless  and  unrelenting  enemies 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  I97 

really  had  recourse  to  an  expedient  so  wicked  and  so 
terrific?"  Her  head  was  bowed  down  as  she  asked 
this  question  so  important  and  so  painful.  Her  fair 
bosom  rose  and  fell,  undulating  from  intensity  of  feel- 
ing ;  her  voice,  scarcely  audible,  was  tremulous  and 
subdued.  From  her  fine  eyes  tears  of  shame,  sorrow 
and  remorse  fell  copiously  ;  and  though  the  most  vivid 
recollections  of  the  lost,  fallen,  guilty  Struensee  filled 
her  whole  heart  and  shook  her  lovely  frame,  though 
his  name  quivered  on  her  lips,  her  tongue  gave  it  not 
utterance.  Full  of  sensibility,  and  weighed  down  by 
emotions  almost  too  powerful  to  be  sustained,  Ernestus, 
in  a  manner  peculiarly  solemn  and  emphatical,  embraced 
this  opportunity  to  do  justice  to  the  unhappy  Struensee, 
by  saying,  "  Yes,  gracious  Queen,  I  do  most  firmly 
believe  that  my  late  unfortunate  master  was  actually 
tortured  by  the  application  of  thumb-screws  before  he 
could  be  wrought  on  to  act  as  Your  Majesty's  enemies 
desired  ;  and  he  was  menaced,  if  he  refused,  with  the 
cruellest  tortures  to  which  a  human  being  could  be 
subjected."  As  he  spoke,  Matilda  raised  her  drooping 
head,  her  mental  suffering  evidently  abated  and  her 
sorrow  soothed  by  this  communication.  The  Queen 
clasped  her  hands,  and,  with  mild  composure,  ex- 
claimed, "  I  forgive  him  !  with  all  my  heart,  I  forgive 
him !  and  I  hope  that  God  will  forgive  him  also ! 
Count  Rantzau  treated  me  very  harshly ;  but  he  had 
a  desperate  undertaking  to  accomplish,  and  I  pro- 
voked him  to  the  utmost  of  my  power.  I  am 
endeavouring  to  forgive  him  also.  He  was  once  my 
friend.     I    hear    that    he    has    fallen    into   disgrace — is 


I98  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

banished  to  his  estates — and  is  now  at  Hamburg. 
The  cause  of  his  disgrace  is  variously  stated  ;  perhaps 
you  can  tell  me  the  real  cause  ?  "  "  That  I  can,  my 
gracious  Queen.  The  Queen-Mother,  Juliana,  General 
Eichstedt,  General  Kohler  Banner  and  M.  Guldberg 
were  all  agreed  to  make  Prince  Frederick  Regent 
during  the  life  of  the  King,  my  Sovereign,  and  of  the 
Crown  Prince.  Without  the  concurrence  of  Count 
Rantzau  they  dared  not  make  the  attempt.  The 
Count,  madam,  conceiving  that  the  King  and  the 
Crown  Prince  might  both  be  set  aside,  or  that  some- 
thing bad  might  befall  them,  sternly  refused  his  assent. 
He  reproached  those  persons  who  had  proposed  and 
seconded  the  measure  as  being  traitors  to  their  King 
and  country :  this,  Your  Majesty  may  believe  me,  was 
the  immediate  cause  of  Count  Rantzau's  disgrace  and 
exile  !  "  The  Queen  heard  him  with  amazement ;  incre- 
dulity was  marked  on  her  fine,  sorrow-stricken  features. 
"What!"  said  she,  "do  you  tell  me  that  he  who 
tore  me  from  my  palace,  my  husband  and  my  babes, 
who  has  blasted  mine  honour  and  destroyed  my  peace 
of  mind  for  ever,  has  been  the  saviour  of  my  husband 
and  my  son,  and  for  their  sakes  braved  the  resentment 
of  that  cruel  woman  who  reigns  in  my  place  ?  "  "  It  is 
true,  my  gracious  Queen  ;  all  this  has  Count  Rantzau 
done  !  "  Matilda,  with  strong  passion,  exclaimed,  "  In- 
comprehensible man  !  if  this  prove  true,  I  can  forgive 
him  all  the  injuries  that  he  has  done  me  !  Not  long 
would  my  sweet  Frederick  live  if  his  cruel  uncle  were 
once  declared  Regent !  But  are  you  not  deceived  ? — 
how  did  you  acquire  the  knowledge  of  those  important 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  199 

facts  ?  "  "  From  the  Count's  own  lips,  gracious  Queen. 
I  attended  his  Excellency  in  his  carriage  as  he  returned 
in  disgrace  from  the  Palace  of  Fredericksborg.  He 
exclaimed,  '  I  have  twice  saved  my  King  and  country 
in  the  hour  of  peril ;  I  will  save  it  a  third  time  ! '  *  He 
never  returned  to  Court  again.  Towards  my  unfor- 
tunate master  he  generally  expressed  hatred,  but  of 
Your  Majesty  he  has  ever  spoken  with  the  utmost 
respect."  The  Queen  paused  for  a  short  time,  and,  in 
rather  a  hasty  manner,  said,  "  How  came  you,  who 
appear  to  deplore  your  late  master's  wretched  fate,  to 
take  service  with  Count  Rantzau  ?  "  To  this  question 
Ernestus  replied  by  telling  the  truth,  to  which  he  was 
tempted  by  the  altered  manner  in  which  she  spoke  of 
Count  Rantzau.  The  Queen  said,  "  My  inclinations 
would  have  led  me  to  take  you  into  my  service,  but 
for  the  constant  recurrence  of  things  I  wish  for  ever 
to  banish  from  my  memory."  She  sat  absorbed  in 
thought ;  at  last  she  said,  "  The  facts  you  have  com- 
municated to  me  give  a  new  phase  to  the  part  that 
Count  Rantzau  has  acted,  and  it  helps  to  forward  my 
wish  to  tear  from  my  heart  all  animosity  against  him ; 
yet,  detesting,  as  I  know  he  did,  the  disposition  of  the 
Queen-Mother,  how  was  it  possible,  without  becoming 
her  confederate  in  my  ruin,  he  could  ever  think  of 
coalescing  with  her  ?  Tell  me,  without  reserve,  what 
you   know   on   this    subject."     Ernestus   hesitated,    and 

1  These  were  the  Count's  words  as  he  left  the  palace.  He 
alluded  to  the  hand  he  had  in  the  fall  of  Peter  III.,  by  which  the 
invasion  of  Denmark  was  averted,  and  next  to  the  arrest  of  Count 
Struensee. 


200  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

remained  silent.  "  Do  not  feel  any  dread  of  hurting 
my  feelings.  Tell  me  his  real  motives,  if  you  know 
them."  "  I  verily  believe,  most  gracious  Queen,  that 
Count  Rantzau  knew  that  a  plan  was  in  agitation  to 
take  the  life  of  the  King  !  "  At  these  words  the  tears 
burst  from  her  eyes ;  she  wrung  her  hands,  and,  appeal- 
ing to  the  Almighty,  declared  her  ignorance  of  any  such 
intention.  "  It  must  be,"  said  she,  "  an  artifice  of  the 
Count's  to  cover  his  malicious  designs."  The  valet 
was  again  silent.  "  Am  I  to  think,"  said  she,  in  a  tone 
of  agony,  "  that  you  believed  him  ?  Did  you  ever  hear 
or  see  anything  to  induce  you  to  think  that  any  such 
design  existed  ?  "  "  If  I  must  reply,  it  is,  and  it  has  for 
upwards  of  a  year  past  been  my  opinion,  that  if  the  two 
Counts  had  not  fallen  as  they  did,  the  King  would  not 
have  long  survived.  Count  Rantzau,  madam,  ever 
felt  tenderness  and  compassion  towards  Your  Majesty, 
and  I  sincerely  believe  it  was  to  save  Your  Majesty's 
life  he  had  you  removed  from  Copenhagen  !  "  This 
avowal  evidently  wrung  her  heart ;  she  gave  vent  to 
her  feelings  in  a  shower  of  tears.  "Oh,  God!"  said 
Matilda,  "  in  what  a  fearful  labyrinth  have  I  been  en- 
tangled !  I  am,  and  ever  shall  be,  wretched  ;  but  what 
would  have  been  my  state  if  such  dreadful  designs 
were  really  cherished  and  had  been  executed !  You 
have  been,"  continued  the  Queen,  "  too  often 
a  witness  of  my  errors  for  me  to  hesitate  thus  to 
humble  myself  before  you.  When  you  return  to 
Hamburg,  tell  Count  Rantzau  that  I  thank  him  for  his 
efforts  to  save  my  son  and  his  Sovereign  ;  and  tell 
him,  too,  that   with   my  whole    soul    I    fully  and   freely 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  201 

forgive  him."  Ernestus  could  not  contain  his  satis- 
faction at  this  noble  conquest  of  herself.  "  I  believe 
in  my  heart,  madam,"  said  he,  "  that  the  Count  has 
never  enjoyed  one  happy  hour  since  that  fatal  day. 
Your  generous  forgiveness  will  restore  peace  to  his 
bosom  and  take  a  mountain  from  off  his  mind."  She 
then  entered  into  an  enquiry  as  to  the  circumstances 
of  Ernestus,  and  told  him  in  all  cases  of  adversity  to 
apply  to  her,  presenting  him  with  a  purse,  that  she 
told  him  was  the  work  of  her  own  hands,  containing 
a  hundred  guineas.  He  had  then  the  honour  of  kissing 
her  hand,  and  took  his  leave. 

When  he  repaired  to  Stuart  and  Sophia,  his 
looks  showed  how  powerfully  his  mind  had  been 
agitated ;  nor  did  he  keep  them  long  in  suspense. 
"Thanks  be  to  God,"  said  Ernestus,  fervently,  "the 
dear  Queen  has  forgiven  Count  Rantzau,  and  has  au- 
thorised me  to  assure  his  Excellency  of  her  full  and 
entire  forgiveness !  How  greatly,"  said  he,  "  is  the 
Queen  changed !  her  sufferings  have  indeed  not  been 
lost  on  her.  The  sedate  and  melancholy  cast  of  coun- 
tenance that  she  has  attained  renders  her  beauty  more 
striking,  she  is  much  less  corpulent,  and  altogether 
her  appearance  is  infinitely  improved."  "  Did  the 
Queen  name  Struensee  to  you?"  said  Stuart.  "Never 
once,"  replied  Ernestus.  "  She  spoke  of  him,  but 
his  name  never  passed  her  lips."  "  Nor  have  I 
heard  her  name  the  guilty  and  unfortunate  man," 
rejoined  Stuart,  "  since  her  residence  here,  where, 
without  flattery,  I  can  affirm  she  is  idolised  by  all 
who     witness     her     piety     and     tranquil     resignation." 


202  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

During  the  absence  of   Ernestus,   Sophia  explained    to 
his  friend  his    present  situation  with   Count   Rantzau. 

The  rest  of  this  day  they  spent  in  seeing  Zell 
and  its  vicinity.  On  the  following  morning  Miss 
Livernet  was  ordered  to  attend  the  Queen,  who  asked 
her  many  questions  respecting  Count  Rantzau,  saying, 
"  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  you  have  moved  in  a 
higher  sphere  of  life  than  your  present  costume,  grace- 
ful and  becoming  as  it  is,  announces."  "I  can  endure 
dissimulation  no  longer.  I  am  not,  indeed,  my  be- 
loved and  injured  Queen,  what  I  seem  to  be,  nor 
worthy  to  appear  in  your  august  presence  ;  but  I  come 
with  a  heart  filled  with  love  and  reverence  towards 
you  !  "  The  Queen  looked  earnestly  in  her  face,  and 
with  a  smile  of  the  truest  benevolence  said,  "  At  last 
I  recognise  in  you  Mademoiselle  Livernet,  whom  Count 
Rantzau  induced  to  leave  the  Opera  !  I  really  thought  I 
knew  your  fine  features  the  moment  I  saw  you ;  and  now 
let  me  bid  you  welcome  in  your  proper  name."  From 
this  generous  girl  Matilda  learnt  enough  fully  to  con- 
vince her  that  Rantzau  was  truly  penitent  for  all  the 
indignities  he  had  occasioned,  and  that  to  his  unshaken 
fidelity  her  son  probably  owed  his  life ;  "  for,"  said 
she,  "  not  only  did  Count  Rantzau  enter  his  protest  in 
the  Journal  of  the  Council  of  State,  but  he  sent  a  copy 
to  Stockholm  and  London,  and  to  each  of  the  leading 
nobles  in  Denmark,  the  Duchies,  and  in  Norway." 
The  Queen  was  so  pleased  with  these  proofs  of  attach- 
ment to  her  husband  and  her  son  that  she  conquered 
her  resentment  so  completely  as  to  write  to  the  Count, 
assuring  him    of   her   entire   forgiveness,    thanking   him 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  203 

for  his  recent  exertions  in  favour  of  her  beloved 
Frederick  and  his  father,  and  adding,  if  he  wished 
to  retire  to  Great  Britain,  she  would  write  to  London 
to  prepare  the  way  for  his  being  received. 

The  first  and  the  last  anxiety  of  this  amiable  peni- 
tent (for  such  she  really  was)  related  to  her  absent 
children.  Sensible  of  this,  and  willing  to  pour  all  the 
consolation  into  her  bosom  that  was  possible,  Made- 
moiselle Livernet  related  to  the  young  Queen  the 
adventure  that  befell  Ernestus  with  the  skipper,  old 
Peter  Nielsen,  who  took  the  Count  in  his  yacht  from 
Copenhagen  to  Warrenborg.  The  Queen  recollected 
the  circumstance,  and  commanded  Sophia  to  proceed, 
who  then  told  Matilda  that  she  thought  this  old  skipper 
would  be  the  most  secure  channel  whereby  to  receive, 
from  time  to  time,  authentic  intelligence  of  her  chil- 
dren. The  Queen  eagerly  embraced  the  idea.  Miss 
Livernet  wrote  to  a  confidential  friend  of  hers — a  lady 
who  was  related  to  the  head  nurse  of  the  young  Prin- 
cess— to  meet  her  at  Hamburg,  assuring  the  Queen 
that  she  would  not  go  till  everything  should  be  arranged 
to  secure  to  her  a  regular  correspondence — "  till  time 
and  circumstances  permit  Your  Majesty  once  more  to 
meet  your  children  and  re-ascend  your  throne."  "  Oh, 
if  that  happy  day  should  ever  come!  But,"  continued 
Matilda,  mournfully,  "it  cannot  be  !  I  am  fallen,  fallen, 
never  to  rise  again!"  Such  were  the  last  emphatic 
words  on  that  subject  spoken  to  Miss  Livernet.  When 
Ernestus  and  his  fair  companion  returned  to  Hamburg 
they  found  the  old  Count  very  impatient,  and  not  a 
little   under   the    influence    of    "  the    blue   devils,"    not 


204  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

knowing  what  construction  to  put  on  their  long  stay  ; 
but  when  his  beauteous  mistress  told  him  in  what 
manner  they  had  been  received,  and  when  she  handed  to 
him  the  brief  but  comprehensive  letter  written  by  the 
well-known  hand  of  the  Queen,  he  kissed  it  with  a  devo- 
tion and  gratitude  scarcely  less  ardent  than  Matilda's 
caresses  of  the  portrait  he  had  returned.  "Now,"  said 
the  Count,  "  I  can  brave  the  finger  of  public  scorn,  and 
the  dagger  of  the  assassin  ;  I  can  live  tranquilly,  and 
meet  death  without  terror." 

The  joy  and  agitation  of  the  Count  was  extremely 
great.  Sophia  felt  towards  him  a  strong  and  grateful 
friendship  ;  she  nattered  herself  that  he  might  give  up 
his  romantic  project  of  travelling  to  Italy  incognito.  She 
felt  deep  aversion  to  assuming  male  attire,  and  therefore 
strove  with  all  the  blandishments  of  which  she  was 
mistress  to  induce  him  to  accept  Queen  Matilda's  media- 
tion, and  retire  to  Great  Britain.  The  Count  heard  her 
with  silent  attention,  and  smiling,  said,  "  You  have  not, 
my  Sophia,  duly  considered  the  subject,  or  you  would 
never  advise  Count  Rantzau  to  insult,  by  his  presence, 
the  Sovereign  whose  sister  his  hand  hurled  from  a  throne 
to  a  prison."  The  fair  pleader  was  silenced,  and  the  tour 
southward  persevered  in.  But  when  Sophia  told  him  of 
what  she  had  promised  the  Queen,  it  appeared  to  give 
him  very  great  satisfaction. 

In  less  than  a  fortnight  Peter  Nielsen  and  his  yacht 
arrived  at  Hamburg,  bringing  the  lady  to  whom  Miss 
Livernet  had  written.  What  pleased  that  kind-hearted 
girl  most  of  all  was  the  animated  and  correct  likenesses 
recently  taken  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  the  infant 
Princess  Louisa  Augusta. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  205 

Sophia's  friend  had  always  commiserated  the  Queen's 
sufferings.  She  had  lost  her  children  when  young,  by 
shipwreck ;  therefore  she  entered  the  readier  into  the 
plan  of  correspondence  proposed  by  the  Count's  generous 
mistress.  Sophia  scarcely  allowed  her  time  to  rest  before 
a  carriage  was  ordered,  and,  attended  by  Ernestus,  set 
out  again  for  Zell.  Their  arrival  was  announced  by 
Stuart.  Those  whose  situation  it  has  been  to  be 
separated  from  their  infants  whom  they  loved  with 
intense  affection,  never  perhaps  more  to  behold  them, 
may  guess — for  I  cannot  describe — the  emotions  of 
Queen  Matilda  on  seeing  the  pictures  of  her  children, 
taken  within  a  few  days  of  reaching  her  hand  !  This 
arrangement,  that  was  made  on  a  just  and  economical 
plan,  was  continued  undiscovered  till  the  death  of  the 
Queen,  and  formed  one  of  the  greatest  alleviations  that 
her  sorrows  received. 

When  Peter  Nielsen  heard  from  Ernestus  of  the 
reconciliation  that  had  taken  place  between  the  Queen 
and  Count  Rantzau,  and  found  that  the  correspondence 
of  which  he  was  to  be  the  medium  was  known  to  him,  he 
condescended  to  take  the  Count's  hand  and  tell  him  he 
could  now  indeed  believe  he  had  become  a  repentant 
sinner,  and  he  hoped  he  "would  save  his  soul  alive." 
The  Count  took  his  coarse  compliment  in  good  part ; 
and,  everything  being  arranged,  he  soon  afterwards 
set  out  for  Amsterdam,  attended  by  the  accomplished 
Miss  Livernet,  who  daily  grew  more  and  more  dear 
to  him  as  her  various  excellencies  displayed  themselves, 
and  also  by  his  favourite  valet,  Ernestus,  intending  in 
that  metropolis  to  hire  servants  who  should  know 
nothing  of  his  rank  or  country. 


206  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

The  MS.  from  which  these  pages  have  been  copied 
closes  at  this  period,  i.e.,  the  autumn  of  1772.  The 
further  destiny  of  the  fair  Dane  and  faithful  Norwe- 
gian is  unknown  ;  but  the  Count,  notwithstanding  his 
reconciliation  with  the  forgiving  Matilda,  fell  by  the 
hand  of  an  English  officer  at  Avignon,1  who  had 
sworn  to  avenge  her  fall.     He  was  buried  in  that  city. 

The  errors  of  the  Queen  were  obliterated  from  the 
bosom  of  every  gentle  and  cultivated  member  of 
society,  as  well  as  from  the  minds  of  the  benevolent 
illiterate.  Never  was  self-conquest  more  complete,  or 
reformation  more  perfect.  She  fell  at  last  a  victim 
to  her  own  sensibility  :  poor  Alexander  Stuart  fell  ill 
of  an  infectious  fever ;  she  was  admonished  by  her 
physicians  not  to  see  him  or  go  near  his  apartment  ; 
she  disregarded  their  advice,  went  to  look  once  more 
at  her  faithful  servant,  caught  the  dreadful  disease, 
and  died  within  a  few  days  after  him. 

Such  was  the  melancholy  and  untimely  end  of 
a  Princess  who  was,  in  her  most  censurable  moments, 
an  object  of  pity  and  indulgence,  and  whose  strong 
and  incessant  efforts  to  atone  for  a  single  error 
displayed  the  noblest  virtues  that  adorn  the  human 
mind.  Had  her  days  been  spared  till  her  gallant  son 
broke  the  fetters  of  Juliana  and  her  crafty  son,  and 
drove  them  into  a  forced  retirement,  she  would  no  doubt 
have  been  recalled  to  participate  of  his  power  and 
press  once  more  her  children  to  her  bosom. 


1  Said    to   be    Captain    O ,    who    accompanied    Matilda    to 

Denmark,  and  held  a  commission  in  the  Danish  horse-guards. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  207 

Remarks  on  the  pveceding  Danish  MS. 

At  the  close  of  a  narrative  abounding  with  such 
extraordinary  incidents  as  the  preceding,  tinged,  as  it 
unquestionably  is,  with  an  air  of  romance,  the  translator 
of  that  manuscript,  and  author  of  the  subsequent  por- 
tions of  the  history  of  Sweden  and  Denmark,  feels  it 
his  duty  to  express  his  opinion  as  to  the  degree  of 
confidence  that  he  places  on  its  veracity.  He  fully 
and  unequivocally  credits  every  particular  relative  to 
the  rise  and  progress  of  Struensee's  fatal  amour  with 
Queen  Matilda,  the  subsequent  licentiousness  of  her 
Court,  the  particulars  of  the  arrest  and  behaviour  of 
Struensee,  the  rankling  envy,  insatiate  malice,  and 
aspiring  ambition  of  Juliana  Maria,  and  the  strict 
accuracy  of  the  motives  and  adventures  imputed  to 
Count  Rantzau.  In  short,  the  chief  points  on  which 
he  feels  any  doubt  are  those  which  attribute  the 
meditated  murder  of  Christian  VII.,  when  a  child,  to 
Juliana,  and  the  almost  incredible  assertion  of  her 
having  so  totally  lost  sight,  not  merely  of  her  dignity, 
but  even  of  her  sex,  as  to  have  had  recourse  to  those 
atrocious  means  to  destroy  his  physical  and  intellectual 
powers  that  are  imputed  to  her.  The  peculiar  features 
of  the  secret  history  connected  with  Gustavus  III. 
and  the  birth  of  the  ex-King  of  Sweden  are  correctly 
stated.  On  this  side  the  water,  national  prejudices  have 
weighed,  and  still  weigh  heavily,  against  Juliana ;  but 
the  more  serious  the  charges  adduced,  the  stronger 
and  more  conclusive  should  be  the  evidence.  The 
translator   would    have    expunged  those   passages    from 


2o8  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

his  version  if  those  charges  had  not,  in  Latrobe  and 
other  authors,  been  long  since  before  the  world. 
They  certainly  are  plausible,  and  that  is  all  that 
justice  admits  of  his  saying.  Between  the  servile 
flattery,    nay,    the   idolatry   of    her    partisans,1   and   the 

i  "  The  following  extract  is  taken  from  a  letter  written  in  Ger- 
man, and  afterwards  translated  into  Danish  and  French,  by  one 
Mr.  Helfried,  for  the  express  purpose  of  promulgating  Struensee's 
disgrace,  to  whom  he  owed  his  rise  and  fortune,  which  letter  was 
addressed  on  this  occasion  to  the  King  of  Denmark,  by  Mr.  Suhm, 
conscilkr  de  conference." — Vide  Wolffe's  "Northern  Tour,"  pp.  S6-90. 

"  Blessed  be  Juliana!  and  extolled  the  name  of  Prince  Frederick  ! 
Thanks  to  all  good  patriots  who,  from  pure  motives,  tore  the  band- 
age from  thine  eyes,  that  thou  mightest  see  clear,  who  avenged  thee 
and  thy  kingdom,  who  risked  their  lives  for  thy  deliverance,  and  who 
restored  thee  to  thy  true  and  genuine  power !  In  truth,  it  was  high 
time,  for  I  saw  the  citizen  draw  his  sword  against  his  fellow-citizen, 
and  those  who  were  otherwise  peaceable  were  urged  on  to  murder. 
Perhaps  in  a  few  days  thy  residence  might  have  fallen  a  prey  to  the 
all-devouring  flames,  and  Denmark  and  Norway,  that  wish  for 
nothing  more  than  the  happiness  of  their  Kings,  might  have  been 
reduced  to  despair.  Look  now,  O  King !  at  the  joy  that  sparkles  in 
the  eyes  of  thy  subjects  ;  regard  and  reflect  on  their  spontaneous 
gladness. 

"  Our  blood  shall  flow  for  thee,  for  Juliana,  for  Frederick  !  Who 
does  not  praise  and  honour  that  dangerous,  that  honourable  night 
which  broke  our  chains  and  caused  us  to  become  again  a  people  ? 
Glorious,  eventful  night  !  future  Homers  and  Virgils  shall  sing  thy 
praise.  As  long  as  Danish  and  Norwegian  bravery  shall  live,  so  long 
shall  the  fame  of  Juliana  and  Frederick  endure — but  not  increase, 
for  that  is  impossible." 

For  such  readers  as  may  not  have  seen  any  work  explaining  the 
fate  of  those  persons  who  were  arrested  with  Queen  Matilda,  an 
extract  is  subjoined  containing  the  requisite  information,  viz. : 

"  Madame  Von  Gohler  was  released  from  her  confinement  in  her 
own  house,  but  ordered  never  to  appear  at  Court.  Rear- Admiral 
Hansen  was  deprived  of  his  seat  at  the  Board  of  Admiralty. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Hesselberg  and  the  Diplomatic  Counsellor  Sturz 
were  ordered  to  live  in  a  small  town  in  Schleswig,  the  former  upon 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  20g 

frightful  portrait  drawn  of  her  in  the  preceding  manu- 
script, it  is  difficult  to  decide  as  to  the  real  character 
of  Juliana.  That  she  was  a  woman  of  aspiring 
ambition,  eager  and  ardent  in  her  wishes  for  regal 
sway,  and  an  adept  in  political  intrigues,  cannot  be 
successfully  denied.  The  conduct  of  Matilda  and 
Struensee  sanctioned  the  violence  adopted  to  snatch  the 
reins  of  government  from  their  feeble  hands.  And 
that  if  Juliana  could,  she  would  have  set  aside  the 
succession  of  the  present  King,  may  be  safely  admitted. 
And    if    Count     Rantzau     had    not,    by     his     resolute 


a  stipend  of  300,  and  the  latter  of  500  dollars.  Lieutenant  Aboe 
was  acquitted  of  every  charge  against  him,  and  banished  the  realm  for 
the  term  of  two  years.  The  Counsellor  of  State,  Willebrandt,  and 
the  Royal  physician,  Berger,  were  banished  the  metropolis,  upon  a 
stipend  of  300  dollars  each,  and  the  latter  was  ordered  to  spend 
the  remainder  of  his  life  at  Aalborg,  in  Jutland.  There  remained 
still  three  prisoners  upon  whose  fate  the  judges  could  not  speedily 
decide :  these  were  General  Gohler,  Colonel  Falkenschjold,  and  the 
First  Commissioner  of  Finance,  Struensee.  The  sentence  pro- 
nounced upon  the  first  served  as  a  specimen  of  what  the  others 
might  expect.  This  brave  warrior  was  deprived  of  his  post,  his  rank 
and  his  pay  ;  was  banished  the  islands  of  Seeland  and  Fiihnen  and 
the  Duchy  of  Schleswig,  and  reduced  to  an  annual  stipend  of  1,000 
dollars,  because,  according  to  the  very  words  of  his  sentence,  he  had 
given  cause  of  suspicion.  The  spite  of  Prince  Frederick  dictated  the 
sentence  of  Colonel  Falkenschjold  :  he  was  deprived  of  his  command 
and  of  his  post  as  Royal  Chamberlain,  and  banished  for  life  to 
Munkholm,  a  fortress  situate  in  the  most  northerly  part  of  Norway, 
where  he  was  allowed  only  half-a-dollar  a  day  for  his  subsistence. 
He  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  and  no  crime  could  be  laid  to 
his  charge  but  his  friendship  for  Struensee.  Struensee,  the  Com- 
missioner of  Finance,  who,  after  the  execution  of  his  brother,  had 
been  thrown  into  irons,  was  obliged  to  petition  for  his  release,  upon 
which  his  papers  and  effects  were  restored  to  him  ;  but  a  promise 
was  exacted  from  him  that  he  would  never  write  or  speak  upon 
the  revolution."     Latrobe,  pp.  254,  &c. 

VOL.    I  14 


2IO  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

conduct,  as  a  member  of  the  Council  of  State,  frustrated 
the  plan  formed  in  1772  of  naming  her  son  as  Regent, 
in  all  probability  the  present  King  would  never  have 
ascended  the  throne.  With  all  these  faults  on  her 
head,  Juliana  must  still  be  regarded  as  a  woman  of 
very  superior  capacity.  Weak  monarchs  are  generally 
seen  surrounded  by  ministers  of  feeble  intellects  ;  they 
appear  to  feel  a  sort  of  instinctive  envy  and  unconquer- 
able dread  of  the  proximity  of  ministers  gifted  with  great 
and  powerful  minds  ;  yet  Juliana  Maria  selected  as  her 
ministers  none  but  men  of  superior  capacity,  and  judging 
of  her  by  the  company  she  kept,  the  result  is  favourable. 
If  her  character  had  been  so  excessively  depraved, 
would  Count  Bernstorff  have  accepted  a  place  under 
her  ?  These  remarks,  the  author  thinks,  are  requisite 
to  liberate  the  minds  of  his  readers  from  the  very  un- 
favourable impression  the  preceding  chapters  are  calcu- 
lated to  produce,  ere  he  proceeds  with  the  original 
memoirs  that  follow. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  211 


CHAPTER    IX 

The  Danish  Court  after  the  fall  of  Struensce  —  Wise  and 
dignified  conduct  of  George  III.  — -  Memoir  of  Count 
Andreas  Petrus  Bcmstorff — A  celebrated  tourist  quoted,  and 
censured — Violation  of  the  Danish  flag — Source  of  that 
abuse  —  Its  consequence  —  The  armed  neutrality  of  the 
Northern  Poivers  —  Count  Bcmstorff  retires — The  Croivn 
Prince  Frederick  seizes  the  reins  of  Government  —  Count 
Bcmstorff  restored. 

The  Protestant  interest  of  Europe,  the  commerce 
and  politics  of  Great  Britain,  and  perhaps  the  personal 
feelings  of  our  King,  combined  their  influence  to 
produce  the  Royal  marriages  that  took  place  in  the 
year  1766  in  Sweden,  Denmark  and  Holland.  But 
that  powerful  influence,  which  the  Cabinet  of  London 
might  reasonably  have  expected  from  the  marriage  of 
the  King  of  Denmark  with  the  Princess  Caroline 
Matilda,  was  lost  through  the  frailty  of  that  unfor- 
tunate and  ill-advised  Queen.  The  evils  resulting 
from  the  indiscretion  of  Matilda  did  not  fall  exclusively 
on  her  own  head,  nor  on  her  partisans  in  Denmark,  but 
extended  itself  to  the  political  and  commercial  relations 
of  her  native  land.  It  was  more  honourable  to  the 
gallantry  and  generosity  of  the  British  public  than  to 
its   justice   or    discernment,    that    the    nation    appeared 

14—2 


212  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

readier  to  avenge  the  indignities  suffered  by  Matilda 
than  to  investigate  the  merits  of  her  cause.  The 
youth,  beauty  and  sufferings  of  this  dethroned  Queen 
excited  the  most  powerful  sympathy.  Vengeance, 
sudden  and  terrible,  was  denounced  against  Juliana 
and  all  those  who  had  been  concerned  in  Matilda's 
supposed  unmerited  disgrace.  The  King  (her  brother), 
who  was  the  most  competent  judge,  proved  by  the  line 
of  conduct  he  adopted  on  this  delicate  occasion  how 
he  estimated  that  of  his  young  and  unfortunate  sister. 
Far  from  availing  himself  of  the  popular  fervour  to 
seek  vengeance  for  the  gratification  of  wounded  pride 
or  unjust  resentment,  George  III.  contented  himself 
with  stemming  the  torrent  of  persecution  in  Denmark 
and  rescuing  Matilda  from  the  hands  of  her  enemies. 
Instead  of  endeavouring  to  bolster  her  reputation  by 
receiving  her  into  the  bosom  of  his  family  and  Court, 
he  condemned  the  fair  culprit  to  a  penance  sufficiently 
severe  and  humiliating  in  fixing  her  future  residence 
at  Zell.  He  did  not,  however,  from  motives  of  State 
policy,  abandon  Matilda  in  the  hour  of  deep  and  bitter 
affliction ;  nor  would  he  suffer  family  pride  to  hurry 
him  into  measures  by  which  the  interests  of  his  people 
might  have  been  materially  injured. 

After  the  dethronement  of  Matilda  and  the  death 
of  Struensee,  it  required  all  the  talent  of  Juliana  and 
her  party  to  keep  the  wheels  of  Government  in  motion.1 

i  It  is  mentioned  in  the  "Annual  Register  for  1772,"  that  a  Count 
Wolingsky  had  his  tongue  cut  out,  on  account  of  words  he  had  used 
reflecting  upon  the  conduct  of  Christian  VII.  and  Juliana.  No  such 
event  happened  in  Denmark. 


COURTS     OF    SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  213 

The  finances  were  in  the  utmost  disorder,  trade  at 
a  standstill,  and  Norway  in  such  a  state  of  popular 
ferment,  on  account  of  an  obnoxious  poll-tax,  as 
threatened  a  general  revolt.  The  moral  state  in  which 
Matilda  left  her  Court  is  already  shown.  Juliana 
banished  those  sirens  whose  licentious  revels  had 
rendered  it  unfit  for  the  presence  of  a  modest  woman, 
and  restored  the  ancient  formality  and  etiquette :  by 
which  means,  all  that  it  gained  in  character  and 
stateliness  was  lost  in  attraction.  The  elegance,  the 
graceful  ease,  the  voluptuousness  of  Versailles,  all 
suddenly  disappeared ;  and  German  etiquette,  stiff, 
formal  and  graceless,  arose  in  its  stead.  If  Juliana 
restored  the  demi-barbarity  of  ancient  German  gran- 
deur, she  occasioned  a  greatly  beneficial  reduction  of 
expense  in  the  Royal  establishment.  On  the  morning 
of  Matilda's  arrest  Juliana  caused  a  confidential  note 
to  be  delivered  to  each  of  the  foreign  ambassadors, 
stating  the  grounds  on  which  those  who  had  done 
the  deed  were  prepared  to  justify  their  conduct.  It 
was  scarcely  possible,  even  for  the  cold  bosoms  of 
calculating  statesmen,  to  avoid  a  powerful  sympathy 
excited  for  the  fate  of  this  illustrious  woman,  whose 
gross  aberrations  had  unfortunately  tended  to  bias 
and  silence  her  most  natural  advocates.  When 
Struensee  confessed  a  connection  it  was  as  vain  for 
him  to  deny  as  to  expect  mercy  from  its  avowal ; 
and  when  the  sentence  of  divorce,  founded  upon  that 
confession  and  other  incontrovertible  evidence,  was  com- 
pleted, all  the  foreign  ministers  attended,  dressed  in 
deep    State   mourning,   at    Christianborg,    to   receive   an 


214  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

official  copy  of  the  evidence,  and  also  of  the  sentence 
pronounced  against  the  Queen.  From  that  hour,  the 
name  of  Matilda  was  erased  from  the  Church  Service 
of  Denmark,  and  she  ceased  to  be  the  wife  of  its 
wretched  King.  These  humiliations  it  was  not  in  the 
power  of  the  King,  her  brother,  to  avert  ;  but  his  in- 
fluence preserved  her  rank  as  a  Queen,  stopped  the 
promulgation  of  the  sentence,  and  his  ships  of  war 
conveyed  Queen  Matilda  from  her  melancholy  prison 
in  Cronenborg  Castle. 

Whilst  this  awful  process  was  carrying  on,  Juliana 
strengthened  herself  and  adherents  by  conciliating  the 
opinion  and  securing  the  sanction  of  foreign  Courts, 
and  particularly  those  of  St.  Petersburg,  Berlin  and 
Versailles.  The  favourite  minister  of  Frederick  V.,  the 
great  Count  Bernstorff,  who  was  banished  the  Court 
at  the  instigation  of  Struensee,  lived  long  enough  to 
hear  of  the  fall  of  the  unfortunate  minion,  but  died  within 
a  month  after  the  receipt  of  that  welcome  intelligence. 
His  nephew,  Count  Andreas  Petrus  Bernstorff,  who 
has  since  immortalised  his  name  in  Denmark  by 
executing  several  great  and  useful  projects,  was  se- 
lected by  Juliana  to  fill  the  important  office  of 
Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs.  A  wiser  choice  it  was 
not  in  her  power  to  have  made.  He  was  known 
to  possess  in  an  eminent  degree  high  mental  endow- 
ments and  gentlemanly  manners.  Educated  under 
the  eye  of  his  uncle,  and  amidst  the  splendour 
of  a  magnificent  regal  Court,  he  could  scarcely  avoid 
being  a  finished  courtier  and  profound  politician.  To 
introduce    this    celebrated   statesman,   we   insert  a  brief 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  215 

memoir  of  him,  taken  from  Mr.  Wolffe's  "  Northern 
Tour."1  This  appointment  had  the  most  beneficial 
influence  both  at  home  and  abroad,  conferring  strength, 
respectability,  and  the  promise  of  duration  on  the  new 
Government.  He  rendered  himself  popular  with  the 
Northern  Courts  by  the  care  he  took  to  preserve 
and  increase  the  Danish  Royal  Navy,  as  well  as  to 
increase  the  commercial  marine.     The  fall  of  Matilda, 

1  The  liberality  displayed  by  Jens  Wolffe,  Esq.,  author  of  the 
"Northern  Tour,"  so  frequently  quoted,  encourages  the  belief 
that  he  will  not  complain  of  the  whole  of  his  brief  memoir  of 
Count  Bernstorff  appearing  in  these  pages. 

Character     and     Political     Career     of     Count    Bernstorff, 

late  Prime  Minister   of   Denmark. 
"  Nichts     kann    einem    Sterblichen     gluckseligeres    begegnen,    al^ 

wenn  er  in  guten  Tagen  einer  von  den  begliickten  Menschen, 

und  in  bosen,  einer  von  den  grossten  Mannern  ist." 
No  greater  blessing  can  befall  a  human  being  than   in  good  times 

to  be  a  fortunate  man  ;  in  bad,  a  great  man. 

Count  Andreas  Petrus  Bernstorff  was  born  at  Hanover,  on 
the  28th  of  August,  1735.  From  his  earliest  youth  his  character 
was  mild,  benignant,  kind  and  endearing  to  all  around  him.  His 
natural  flow  of  spirits  was  misunderstood  by  his  tutor,  Munther, 
under  whose  care  his  father  had  placed  him,  with  the  view  of 
imbibing  the  first  rudiments  of  education ;  he  was  checked  and 
corrected  by  the  severity  of  a  man  whose  scholastic  ideas  being 
chiefly  confined  to  theoretical  knowledge,  knew  but  little  of  the 
human  heart.  Emancipated  from  the  rod  of  this  instructor,  he 
appears,  in  his  fifteenth  year,  to  have  been  placed  under  the 
tuition  of  Leischnig,  a  man  of  considerable  talent  and  experience. 
With  him,  he  entered  deeply  into  the  study  of  history,  theology, 
and  the  living  and  dead  languages.  In  1752,  he  went  with  his 
brother  to  Leipzig,  where  he  became  acquainted  with  the  poet 
Gellert,  whose  friendship  was  a  source  of  infinite  use  and  gratifi- 
cation to  him.  Led  on  by  an  insatiable  thirst  for  knowledge, 
and  a  wish  to  become  personally  intimate  with  characters 
eminent  for  their  abilities  or  rank  in  life,    he  now  prosecuted   his 


2l6  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

and  the  discussions  to  which  that  event  gave  rise, 
created  a  strong  anti-Britannic  spirit  in  Denmark. 
The  exterior  forms  of  amity,  though  faded  and  relaxed, 
still  remained,  but  the  spirit  of  harmonious  peace  had 
fled.  The  Danes  whom  pleasure  or  commerce  led  to 
visit  England,  were  overwhelmed  by  popular  execration. 
The  English  who  visited  Copenhagen,  from  the  sailor  to 
the  gentleman,  carried   with    them   the  most  inveterate 

travels  into  foreign  countries.  He  made  some  considerable  stay 
at  Dresden  and  Gottingen,  At  Geneva  he  acquired  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  French  language,  which  was  of  infinite  service 
to  him  in  his  diplomatic  career.  He  then  went  to  Italy,  where 
he  commenced  an  intimacy  with  M.  de  Chauvelin  and  the  Duke 
de  Choiseul,  the  French  Ministers  at  Turin  and  Rome,  as  like- 
wise with  the  Abbe  Barthelemy,  the  renowned  writer  of  the 
travels  of  Anacharsis.  "With  the  latter,  and  a  celebrated  artist, 
he  studied  the  antiquities  and  the  fine  arts.  During  this 
journey  he  fulfilled  the  earnest  wishes  of  his  uncle  (the  great 
Bernstorff,  who  afterwards  retired  from  the  Ministry  during 
the  reign  of  Struensee),  and  determined  to  enter  into  the 
Danish  service.  In  1756  he  quitted  Italy,  and  returned 
through  Trieste,  Vienna  and  Dresden  to  Hanover.  After 
staying  a  short  time  under  the  parental  roof,  and  being  in  vain 
solicited  to  fix  his  residence  there,  he  went  to  Paris,  where  he 
remained  six  months ;  thence  he  crossed  over  to  England,  and 
was  intimate  with  Admirals  Hawke,  Anson  and  others.  Here  he 
followed  the  pursuits  of  agriculture,  a  study  for  which  at  all  times  he 
had  a  strong  propensity,  remaining  some  time  in  Norfolk  ;  after  this, 
he  returned  through  Holland  to  Hanover. 

Bernstorff's  first  debut  in  affairs  of  State  was  an  appointment  in 
the  German  Chancery,  where  his  uncle  presided,  who  seemed  deter- 
mined to  encourage  him  in  the  attainment  of  some  degree  of 
eminence  in  the  line  of  politics  and  diplomacy.  When  the  old 
Count  Bernstorff  was  Minister  to  Frederick  V.  he  had  an  opportunity 
of  furthering  the  object  of  his  wishes  ;  and  during  several  successive 
years  his  nephew's  advancement  was  rapid  and  certain.  In  1766 
Frederick  V.  died,  and  a  cabal  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  ruining 
the  credit  of  the  Minister  in  the  eyes  of  his  successor,  Christian  VII., 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  21 7 

prejudices,  not  merely  against  the  Queen-Dowager 
and  her  son,  but  the  nation  itself.  The  British 
periodical  Press  lent  its  powerful  influence.  An  elegant 
writer — though  a  most  illiberal  and  prejudiced  tourist1  — 
contributed  on  his  return,  by  the  publication  of  his  tour, 
to  feed  and  perpetuate  an  injurious  enmity  that  a  wise 
and  liberal  writer  would  have  strained  every  nerve  to 
extinguish.      The   coolness   and  reserve  with  which  the 

which,  however,  had  the  reverse  effect:  the  Count  not  only  refuted 
the  charges  brought  against  him,  but  had  the  Order  of  Dannebrog 
conferred  on  him,  together  with  the  gift  of  an  estate  near  Copen- 
hagen. At  that  time  the  farmers  were  in  a  state  of  bondage,  and 
subject  to  the  feudal  laws,  which  rendered  them  totally  indifferent  to 
the  cultivation  of  lands ;  the  owner  and  peasant  equally  suffered 
under  these  unwise  and  barbarous  regulations.  Count  Bernstorff 
was  foremost  to  abolish  this  system  of  slavery.  As  a  philanthropist 
he  could  not  behold  with  indifference  the  wretchedness  of  these  poor 
people,  in  a  country  which  Nature  seemed  to  have  formed  for  the 
comfort  and  opulence  of  its  inhabitants.  He  wished  to  be  considered 
the  benefactor  of  a  free  and  wealthy  race,  rather  than  the  lord  of 

1  "  The  Prince  (Frederick)  has  received  no  other  mark  of 
bounty  from  Nature  or  fortune  than  Royal  birth.  He  is  very  much 
deformed,  and  this  personal  imperfection  has  gained  him  the  appella- 
tion of  '  Richard  III.'  among  those  who  do  not  love  the  Court, 
though  it  undoubtedly  originated  among  the  English." 

•'As  to  Prince  Frederick,  Nature,  it  is  said,  has  very  completely  dis- 
qualified him  for  affairs  of  gallantry."  A  more  judicious,  instructive 
and  entertaining  traveller,  namely,  the  Rev.  William  Coxe,  visited 
Denmark  in  1779,  and  was  presented  to  this  Prince,  and  Sophia 
Frederica,  his  wife  !  It  showed  no  small  degree  of  magnanimity  in 
the  Royal  pair  to  admit  an  English  tourist  to  a  private  audience. 
What  reparation  could  Mr.  Wraxall  make  for  the  propagation  of  a 
scandal  that  went  to  throw  on  his  consort  the  suspicion  of  being  an 
adulteress,  and  to  assert  the  illegitimacy  of  her  children  ?  It  was  a 
cruel  and  a  cowardly  attack,  disgraceful  to  the  author,  and  injurious 
to  the  character  of  his  country. —  Vide  "A  Tour,  &c,"  by  Mr.  Nat. 
Wraxall,  pp.  52  and  54,  3rd  edition,  1776. 


2l8  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

English  were  received  at  Court,  and  the  mistrust  with 
which  their  steps  were  watched,  were  indignantly  felt 
and  complained  of ;  but  those  persons  forgot  they  had 
expressed  nothing  but  hatred  and  contempt,  and  almost 
openly  strove  to  excite  discontent  and  revolt.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  English  hauteur,  and  English  prejudice 
had  a  powerful  tendency  to  mature  that  antipathy  which 
paved  the  way  for  the  accession  of  Denmark,  in  1780, 

slaves.  Believing  their  misery  to  arise  from  having  been  oppressed 
by  hard  labour,  he  resolved  to  abolish  their  system  of  partnership  in 
enclosures,  and  to  place  them  in  such  a  situation  that  they  might 
expect  to  reap  the  fruits  of  their  individual  industry.  To  effect  this, 
he  parcelled  out  the  lands  in  suitable  lots,  and  prevailed  on  his 
tenantry  to  throw  dice  for  the  choice,  encouraging  them  by  presents 
to  move  their  residences  to  the  ground  which  fell  to  their  share. 

Count  Bernstorff  expended  from  his  private  purse  in  settling  and 
giving  permanency  to  this  arrangement,  7,000  dollars  ;  but  the  sum 
was  well  applied,  and  he  found  himself  amply  repaid  by  the  hilarity 
which  soon  accompanied  the  labours  of  these  poor  families,  whose 
welfare  he  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  ensure. 

The  grateful  peasants,  some  years  afterwards,  erected  a  plain 
marble  monument  by  the  side  of  the  high  road  in  honour  of  the 
Count. 

In  1770  the  old  Count  Bernstorff,  who  was  then  Minister  of 
State,  received  his  dismission  in  consequence  of  the  increasing 
influence  of  Struensee,  who  could  not  brook  a  rival  in  power,  and 
had  persuaded  Matilda  to  apply  for  it.  The  King,  indifferent  to 
everything  but  his  pleasures,  easily  yielded,  and  both  the  Bernstorffs 
quitted  Denmark,  to  the  great  regret  of  all  good  and  wise  men. 

On  the  18th  of  February,  1772,  the  old  Count  died  at  Altena  ; 
and  when  his  nephew,  Count  Andreas  (after  the  ruin  of  Struensee 
and  his  party),  visited  Copenhagen  in  the  following  summer,  he  was 
earnestly  solicited  to  accept  a  situation  in  the  Government,  and  was 
shortly  afterwards  appointed  to  the  post  of  Minister  for  the  Foreign 
Department,  which  his  uncle  had  filled  with  so  much  credit  to  him- 
self and  benefit  to  the  nation. 

He  was  chiefly  instrumental  in  effecting  the  exchange  of  the 
Counties  of  Oldenburg  and  Delmenhorst  for  part  of  the  Duchy  of 


COURTS     OF    SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  2IG. 

to  the  armed  neutrality  of  the  Northern  Powers.  At  the 
present  hour  this  mischievous  spirit  is  at  work.  The 
same  blind,  indiscriminate  furor  seems  to  animate  thu 
great  majority  of  our  political  writers  ;  and  the  clouds 
that  are  concentrating  round  our  national  character  in 
every  country  of  the  Old  and  New  Continent,  forebode  a 
storm  that  at  no  great  distance  of  time  may,  by  under- 
mining the  foundation  of  our  foreign  commerce,  wrest  the 
trident  of  the  seas  from  the  grasp  of  our  country. 


Holstein,  which  had  long  been  a  bone  of  contention  between  Russia 
and  Denmark.  A  treaty  to  this  effect  was  concluded  on  the  21st  of 
May,  1773,  and  this  matter,  which  was  of  great  importance  to  Den- 
mark, was  thus  set  at  rest. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  American  War,  Bernstorff  adopted 
and  brought  to  perfection  a  wise  system  of  neutrality,  which  was  of 
essential  consequence  to  a  nation  not  able  to  contend  with  the  great 
maritime  Powers. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  17S0,  during  hostilities  between 
England  and  France  and  her  allies,  Denmark,  Russia  and  Sweden 
formed  a  coalition  in  defence  of  their  neutrality,  which  was  re- 
spected at  that  period,  and  enabled  the  three  Powers  to  carry  on 
their  usual  trade  without  much  interruption.  This  Northern  coali- 
tion was,  however,  neither  forgotten  nor  forgiven  by  Great  Britain, 
and  was  one  of  the  primary  causes  of  her  subsequent  hostilities  with 
Denmark. 

To  particularise  the  benefits  that  ensued  to  Denmark  during  the 
ministry  of  Count  Bernstorff  would  be  endless.  Esteemed  and 
honoured,  both  abroad  and  at  home,  his  situation  was  most  enviable  ; 
it  was  such  as  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  aspiring 
courtiers,  whose  merits  were  completely  thrown  into  the  shack- 
by  a  comparison  with  his  personal  good  qualities  and  public 
virtues.  A  party  was  secretly  formed,  with  the  view  of  displac- 
ing him  from  the  pre-eminent  situation  he  held.  To  create  dis- 
gust, and  induce  him  to  resign,  every  practicable  obstacle  was 
thrown  in  his  way,  and  opposition  raised,  to  thwart  his  plans  for 
the  public  benefit.  As  long,  however,  as  he  could  be  of  service 
to  the  country,  he  continued  in  office,  and  disregarded  the  shafts 
of  envy  that  were  levelled  at  him  by  his  opponents.      At  length, 


220  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

The  antipathies  created  by  the  dethronement  and 
exile  of  Queen  Caroline  Matilda  had  scarcely  ceased  to 
operate,  when  an  unconstitutional  desire  to  tax  our 
colonists  in  North  America- — without  admitting  them  to 
actual  representation  in  the  distant  Legislature  by  which 
such  burthens  were  to  be  imposed — gave  rise  to  that 
unnatural  and  disastrous  war,  the  sad  effects  of  which, 
though  painfully  humiliating  to  our  pride  and  formidable 
to  our  power,  have  as  yet  been  slightly  felt  in  comparison 


perceiving  that  he  could  not  stem  the  current  of  the  opposition, 
he  resigned  his  situation  as  Minister,  on  the  30th  of  November, 
1780,  and,  like  Cincinnatus,  retired  to  the  plough  and  his  estate, 
without  a  murmur,  but  with  the  most  fervent  wishes  for  the 
future  prosperity  of  the  country.  To  his  friend  Munther  he  said, 
eight  years  afterwards,  "If  they  dismiss  me  ten  times,  and  recall 
me  as  often,  I  will  return,  if  the  country  can  be  benefited  by 
my  abilities." 

Rare  words  !  the  test  of  the  intrinsic  worth  of  a  minister,  of 
which  there  are  few  instances. 

When  the  Prince  Royal  assumed  the  reigns  of  government,  in 
1784,  Count  Bernstorff  was  reinstated  in  his  high  office,  to  the 
great  joy  of  the  nation.  In  1786  a  general  emancipation  of  the 
peasantry  took  place  in  Denmark,  of  which  he  had  set  the  ex- 
ample on  his  own  estate.  During  the  following  year  a  variety  of 
internal  regulations  and  improvements  occurred  in  the  financial 
system.  In  1789,  when  war  was  declared  between  Sweden  and 
Russia,  and  Denmark  was  called  upon  to  fulfil  the  article  of  a  treaty 
which  stipulated  that,  in  case  Russia  was  attacked,  Denmark 
should  send  an  auxiliary  force  to  her  assistance,  Count  Bernstorff 
attended  the  Prince,  who  made  an  irruption  with  12,000  men  from 
Norway  into  the  Swedish  territories  ;  and  Gottenburg  would  in- 
evitably have  fallen,  had  not  the  English  and  Prussian  Ministers 
interposed,  and  obtained  a  cessation  of  hostilities,  which  even- 
tually ended  in  a  treaty  of  peace. 

At  the  commencement,  and  during  the  early  part  of  the  French 
Revolution,  when  England  declared  war  against  France,  the  situa- 
tion of  Denmark  was  truly  critical.  Here  again  the  genius  of 
this   truly  great    man   prevented    the   country  from  being   crushed 


COURTS    OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  221 

to  what  may  too  probably  be  apprehended  as  the  result  of 
future  wars  more  bloody  and  more  fierce  ! 

As  soon  as  the  leaders  of  the  American  patriots  re- 
solved to  risk  a  war  rather  than  admit  a  principle,  to 
the  baleful  effects  of  which  no  probable  limits  could  be 
assigned,  they  adopted  measures  to  bring  into  their  ports 
those  naval  and  warlike  stores  which  the  awful  contest  in 
which  they  were  about  to  engage  rendered  essential  to 
their  safety  and  success.     The  anti-Stadtholdian  party  in 

between  the  mighty  Powers  ;  and  although  a  new  code  of  mari- 
time laws  established  in  the  English  Admiralty  Court,  and  the 
laws  of  nations,  were  disregarded  by  the  contending  Powers,  yet 
the  system  of  neutrality,  so  beneficial  to  the  Danish  nation,  was 
not  departed  from,  and  in  its  consequences  was  productive  of  great 
mercantile  advantage  to  the  country.  As  a  token  of  the  general 
satisfaction,  a  gold  medal  was  presented  to  Count  Bernstorff  on 
the  Prince  Royal's  birthday,  the  28th  of  January,  1795. 

The  following  letter,  describing  the  circumstance,  was  written 
by  a  gentleman  of  Copenhagen  at  that  period  : 

"  The  interest  you  take  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  North 
of  Europe  induces  me  to  inform  you  of  what  has  transpired  here 
respecting  our  very  deserving  Minister  of  State,  Count  Bernstorff, 
whose  private  character,  moral  principles  and  benignity  of  manners 
are  as  well  known  as  the  prudence,  steadiness  and  honour  of  his 
conduct  in  public  life. 

"It  is  to  him  we  are  indebted  for  our  present  tranquillity. 
He  was  the  principal  cause  of  Denmark  not  joining  in  the  present 
detrimental  and  destructive  war,  the  fatal  consequences  of  which 
make  humanity  bleed  and  blush  throughout  Europe. 

"  Though  partly  deprived  of  the  benefits  due  to  an  independent 
nation  in  her  lawful  trade,  we  yet  enjoy  the  comforts  of  peace, 
in  hopes  of  ultimately  obtaining  entire  satisfaction  for  the  injuries 
that  trade  has  received  from  the  belligerent  Powers. 

"  Acknowledging  most  devoutly  the  blessings  of  Heaven,  we 
at  the  same  time  acknowledge  how  much  we  are  indebted  to  the 
man  whose  arduous  task  it  became  to  unmask  perfidious  insinu- 
ations and  to  reject  haughty  proposals  of  ruinous  participation. 
No  species  of  war  is  just  but  that  in  defence  of  our  lives,   rights 


222  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Holland,  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  a  war  between 
Great  Britain  and  her  colonies,  were  not  slow  in  assuring 
the  American  Republicans  of  every  kind  of  support  in 
their  power  to  afford  ;  nor  were  these  idle  promises. 
They  harassed  and  perplexed  the  Stadtholder  by  calling 
for  the  increase  of  the  Dutch  navy,  and  the  enforcement 
of  the  doctrine,  "  Free  ship,  free  goods."  The  Dutch 
Press    teemed    with    publications  intended  to    hurt   the 

and  liberty — ruin  and  shame  inevitably  attend  the  offender.  Such 
ought  to  be  the  maxims  of  every  moral  statesman,  and  a  minister 
destitute  of  morality  is  a  curse  upon  the  people. 

"  Count  Bernstorff  is  a  blessing  to  us.  Convinced  of  this, 
numbers  of  citizens  have  joined  in  proving  their  satisfaction  and 
gratitude  by  sending  him  a  gold  medal  representing  a  striking 
likeness  of  himself,  with  this  inscription  : 

"  'Bernstorff,  Minister  of  State  in  Denmark.' 

"  On  the  reverse  side  is  a  compass,  inscribed: 
"  '  Without  alteration.' 

"  I  need  not  explain  the  boldness  of  this  idea;  it  is  as  explicit 
and  true  as  the  frailties  of  mortals  allow. 

"  The  medal,  with  the  following  letter,  was  delivered  by  an 
unknown  person  : 

"'To  the  man  of  his  King  and  country,  the  most  noble  Bern- 
storff, who  proved  to  Europe  that  true  State  wisdom  consists  in 
justice  and  peace,  and,  supported  by  strenuous  perseverance,  is 
the  greatest  honour  in  all  Governments.  To  him,  discerning  fellow- 
citizens  hereby  convey  the  enclosed  proof  of  their  gratitude. 

"  '  The  faithful  subjects  of  these  realms,  in  presenting  the  most 
worthy  citizen  with  their  thanks,  which  he  deserves,  preferred 
this  memorable  day,  because  it  reminds  every  friend  of  their 
country  of  that  benefit  which  has  been  effected  in  these  latter 
years  for  the  prosperity  of  the  State  and  the  cause  of  humanity. 
"'From  Danes  and  Norwegians  devoted  to  their  King 
and  Country. 

"  'The  28th  January,  1795.' 

"  The  subscribers,  preferring  a  noble  deed  to  the  emptiness  of 
public  show,  remain  as  yet  unknown. 


COURTS    OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  223 

character  of  the  British  and  animate  the  courage  of  the 
American  colonists.  The  most  wealthy  merchants  in 
Holland  exported  for  the  use  of  the  insurgents  all  sorts 
of  contraband  of  war.     Those  supplies  were  usually  sent 


"  You  must  observe  that  the  28th  of  January  is  our  worthy 
Prince  Royal's  birthday,  whose  application  to  his  extensive  and 
important  duties  is  perhaps  unparalleled,  and  whose  firmness  and 
constant  attachment  to  justice  and  honour  entitle  him  to  every 
distinction  and  encouragement.  His  Royal  Highness,  in  supporting 
so  able  a  minister  in  whatever  is  just,  and  he  on  the  other  side  being 
a  faithful  friend  to  the  Prince,  the  choice  of  the  day  was  noble  and 
applicable." 

This  testimony  of  the  public  regard  was  highly  grateful  to  him. 
The  following  year  another  medal  was  struck  on  his  own  birthday, 
and  presented  to  him  :    this  was  the  last  year  of  his  eventful  life. 
In  May,  1797,  his  mental  and  corporeal  powers  were  exhausted,  and 
after  a  short  illness,  during  which  he  was  attended  by  Callisen  and 
Hensler,  his  personal  friends,  and  the  most  eminent  of  the  faculty, 
and  daily  visited  by  the  Prince  Royal,  he  expired,  to  the  great  regret 
and  sorrow  of  the  whole  nation.     His  funeral  was  honoured  by  the 
attendance  of  the  Prince  and  Royal  Family,  and  followed  by  persons 
of  the  first  consequence  in  Copenhagen.     The  last  words  of  Bishop 
Balle,  in  his  funeral  oration,  were,  "Happy  Bernstorff!    Peace  to  thy 
ashes  ! — a  blessing  to  thy  family  ;  revered  be  thy  memory  !  "     How 
glorious  is  the  death  of  such  a  man  !  what  an  example  to  posterity  ! 
How  much  more  gratifying  to  the  feelings  of  his  surviving  children  is 
the  daily  sight  of  the  simple  pedestal  erected  by  his  grateful  tenants, 
during  his  life-time,  in  commemoration  of  a  single  act  of  beneficence, 
which  alone  immortalised  the  name  of  Bernstorff,  than  the  superb 
mausoleum  that  decorates  the   ashes  of  Juliana  Maria  at  Roskild, 
a    gloomy   depository   of    unrelenting  jealousy   and    ambition,    and 
which  the  beholder  regards  with  apathy  and  indifference ! 
"  A  cordial  his  sustains,  that  cannot  fail : 
By  pleasure  unsubdued,  unbroke  by  pain, 
He  shares  in  that  omnipotence  he  trusts : 
All-bearing,  all-attempting,  till  he  falls, 
And,  when  he  falls,  writes  '  vici  '  on  his  shield  : 
From  magnanimity,  all  fear  above  : 
From  nobler  recompense,  above  applause." 


224  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

to  St.  Eustatius  and  Curasao,  and  thence  transported  to 
their  ulterior  destination.  Many  of  those  ships  and 
cargoes  were  captured  by  British  cruisers,  and  con- 
demned. Regardless  of  their  own  violation  of  neutral 
rights  in  plunging  into  a  trade  so  likely  to  involve 
the  Republic  in  war,  they  besieged  the  Stadtholder 
(William  V.)  with  complaints  and  remonstrances, 
terming  those  captures  that,  on  the  broadest  principle 
of  the  law  of  nations,  were  legally  made  and  con- 
demned, the  "  piratical  depredations  of  Great  Britain 
on  their  defenceless  ships."  They  called  aloud  for 
war  to  avenge  those  imaginary  wrongs,  and  accused 
William  V.  of  having  been  bribed  by  the  Court  of 
St.  James's  to  permit  the  ruin  of  the  navy  and  the 
commerce    of   Holland ! 

Whilst  the  merchants  of  Holland  were  striving  by 
every  means  in  their  power  to  create  a  war  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  States  of  Holland — conscious 
of  the  overwhelming  power  of  the  foe,  whose  ven- 
geance they  feared  even  whilst  they  provoked  it — 
they  looked  about  them  for  the  securest  means  of 
protecting  their  ships  and  commerce  from  its  power. 
A  year  prior  to  the  commencement  of  actual  war, 
they  resolved  to  carry  on  their  contraband  commerce 
under  the  mask  of  neutral  flags ;  and  the  better  to 
screen  their  speculations  from  the  observation  of  their 
Government,  they  exported  large  supplies  of  naval 
stores,  arms  and  ammunition,  under  the  protection  of 
neutral  flags  and  as  neutral  property.  About  the  year 
1778  a  meeting  of  the  principal  Baltic  merchants 
was  held  at    Amsterdam.      That   commercial   leviathan, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN'     AND     DENMARK  225 

M.  Claas  Taan,  senior,  of  Zaandam,1  acted  as  president. 
The  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  devise  means  of 
securely  carrying  on  their  commerce  under  a  neutral 
flag.  On  account  of  its  local  situation,  the  city  of 
Embden  was  fixed  on  as  the  chief  emporium  of  this 
vile  traffic,  which  was  founded  on  fraud,  and  could 
only  be  supported  by  a  deliberate  and  organised 
system  of  forgery  and  false  swearing.  A  nominal 
firm  was  for  this  purpose  then  established,  under  the 
patronage  of  M.  Claas  Taan,  namely,  Messrs.  Gerrit 
and  Barend  Van  Olst,  Brouwer  and  Co.,  of  Embden. 
But  as  Denmark  was  a  maritime  State,  possessing 
at  that  period  thirty  ships  of  the  line,  nine  fifties  and 
twenty    frigates,    and    finding    its    carrying    trade   pro- 

i  The  floating  property  of  M.  Taan  was,  at  this  period,  on  an 
average,  equal  to  £1,000,000  sterling.  He  was  sole  proprietor  of 
forty  Greenland  ships,  besides  other  vessels  ;  he  possessed  no  fewer 
than  thirty  mills  at  Zaandam,  the  rich  village  on  the  river  Y,  so 
celebrated  for  its  legions  of  windmills.  It  was  here  that  Peter  I. 
worked  as  a  shipwright.  The  inhabitants  were  formerly  proverbial 
for  the  insolence  of  wealth,  affecting  at  the  same  time  the  dress 
and  manners  of  boors  (i.e.,  clowns  or  countrymen).  Mr.  Hope,  the 
banker,  had  about  this  period  a  foreign  bill  due  for  a  very  large 
amount,  accepted  by  one  of  those  village  merchants.  He  took  with 
him  an  English  gentleman  who  was  desirous  of  seeing  the  interior 
of  their  houses.  They  found  the  man  of  wealth  clad  in  a  coarse 
brown  jacket,  with  large  silver  buttons,  huge  breeches,  a  vast 
flapped  hat,  and  klompers  (i.e.,  wooden  shoes).  He  was  employed 
with  a  shovel,  cleaning  out  a  ditch.  The  proud  Zaandammer,  when 
he  learnt  the  errand  of  Mr.  Hope,  took  him  leisurely  into  his  house, 
and  in  a  careless  way  asked  him  to  name  the  coin  in  which  he 
wished  to  receive  his  bill.  Between  gold  ducats,  the  highest,  and 
sesthalves,  the  lowest  current  specie,  there  were  many  kinds ;  and 
by  this  challenge  it  was  clear  he  was  prepared  with  a  sufficient 
sum  of  each  sort  to  pay  a  bill  the  amount  of  which  appeared  par- 
ticularly large  even  to  Mr.  Hope 

VOL.   I  15 


226  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

digiously  increased,  the  Danish  Court  seemed  well  dis- 
posed to  protect  its  flag  without  enquiring  too  minutely 
as  to  the  neutrality  of  its  employment ;  it  was,  there- 
fore, determined,  as  well  as  the  Prussian,  to  use  the 
Danish  flag.  Nominal  firms  were  immediately  estab- 
lished in  Copenhagen  and  at  Altena.  In  the  former 
city  the  celebrated  De  Coninck,1  the  rich  possessor  of 
Drottningaard,  was  the  principal  Dutch  agent.  That 
man  was  employed  in  very  large  masked  concerns, 
principally  for  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  and  the 
Government  of  Holland.  His  enormous  fortune  was 
acquired  by  the  systematic  commission  of  those  crimes 
for  which  less  wealthy  criminals  were  continually  being 
condemned  to  the  gallows  in  England,  and  in  Denmark 
and  Holland  to  the  severest  punishment  short  of  death, 
and  perpetual  imprisonment  in  irons  ! 

Exclusive  of  the  De  Coninck's,  there  were  several 
other  firms  of  the  same  vile  nature  established  in  the 
ports  of  Denmark.    At  Altena  the  violation  of  maritime 

i  This  man,  having  acquired  his  wealth  at  the  risk  of  eternal 
perdition  to  his  soul,  set  up  at  last  as  a  man  of  taste.  The  fame 
of  his  plenteous  table  and  delicious  wines  soon  spread  abroad,  and 
tasteful  travellers  of  all  nations  crowded  to  his  magnificent  villa  to 
taste  of  the  delicacies  that  abounded.  The  infamy  of  the  man  was 
forgotten  in  the  luxuries  that  he  dispensed.  M.  Jens  Wolffe,  who, 
as  Danish  Consul-General,  must  have  had  no  small  experience  in 
such  matters,  though  free  from  the  taint  of  committing  those 
crimes,  has  made  tolerably  free  with  this  amateur  in  the  arts  of 
perjury  and  forgery.  He  has  given  an  emblematical  vignette  repre- 
senting De  Coninck  taking  his  wine  in  an  extensive  and  magnificent 
library,  his  back  turned  on  the  books,  whilst  a  servant  appears 
bringing  in  a  dish  of  some  sort  in  his  hand.  A  couple  of  enormously 
fat  swine  are  amusing  themselves  in  the  same  room,  routing  in  the 
litter  that  seems  spread  on  the  floor! — Vide  "Northern  Tour." 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  227 

neutrality  was  carried  on  to  an  incredible  extent.     The 
first  person  who  set  up  as  a  dealer  in  false  papers  and 
false  oaths  was  a  Dutch  schoolmaster  named  Hendrick 
Van    Der    Berg,   who   was    employed    by   the   brothers 
Messrs.    Pieter    and    Cornelius    Corver,    of    Zaandam. 
Immense   commercial    speculations    were   conducted    by 
M.    Pieter    Corver — under    the    Danish  flag,   on    Dutch 
account — in    the    name    of    Hendrick    Van    Der    Berg. 
Many  of  those  enormous   Dutch  mast-carrying  vessels, 
almost   as    large   as    line-of-battle   ships,  were   freighted 
with  all   sorts  of   naval  stores,  consigned,  nominally  on 
Danish  account   and  risk,  to  the  ports  of  Holland  and 
France,   and   the  new  Transatlantic   Republic.     In   this 
manner  was  a   seductive,  lucrative,  but  infamous  traffic 
first  introduced  into  Denmark,  by  which  the  legal  and 
creditable  paths  of  legitimate  commerce  were  too  gene- 
rally  abandoned,  the    name  and  calling  of  a  merchant 
degraded,  the   neutrality  of  Denmark  radically  violated, 
and    the    foundation    laid    for    those    terrible    scourges 
with    which    that   kingdom   has  since  been   visited.     At 
this    period,    the  increase    of  commerce  in    the    Danish 
ports    at     home    and    abroad    was    prodigiously    great. 
The  tonnage  of  her  commercial   marine  apparently  ex- 
perienced  an  immense  increase.     Her   master  mariners 
and    mates    found    plenty   of    employment,    but    it    was 
of    a    nature    that     uprooted    every    principle    of    moral 
virtue.     They  were  hired  by  such  men  as  De  Coninck 
to    navigate   vessels   that    belonged    to    subjects   of  bel- 
ligerent   Powers,    particularly    Holland.      They   earned 
their     daily    bread     by     daily    perjuries.       They     were 
taught     to    laugh     at     the    sanctity     of     oaths.       The 

!5— 2 


228  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

example  spread  from  the  cabin  to  the  forecastle. 
Mates,  cooks,  and  the  men  before  the  mast,  in  case 
of  capture  by  a  belligerent  Power,  were  expected  to 
swear  in  corroboration  of  the  simulated  papers.  From 
this  polluted  source  a  stream  of  contaminated  riches 
flowed  into  Denmark,  derived  from  the  mercenary- 
protection  extended  to  the  ships  and  commerce  of 
the  enemies  of  Great  Britain.  Our  native  merchants 
were,  however,  at  this  period  untainted  with  the  infamy 
of  following  those  bad  examples. 

Count  Bernstorff  found  the  finances  of  Denmark 
in  utter  disorder.  The  expense  of  the  Royal  Court,  of 
numerous  and  heavy  pensions,  and  the  interest  of  the 
National  Debt  made  heavy  drains  on  private  property. 
After  many  great  retrenchments,  it  was  scarcely  prac- 
ticable to  find  resources  to  meet  the  current  expenses. 
Such  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  the  first  American 
War  broke  out.  Count  Bernstorff  was  well-informed 
as  to  the  illegal  commercial  enterprises  of  Danish 
merchants.  He  knew  of,  and  tolerated,  the  masked 
establishments  set  up  at  Copenhagen  and  Altena  for 
the  neutralisation  of  belligerent  commerce.  Instead 
of  tearing  up  by  the  roots  those  demoralising  insti- 
tutions, he  connived  at  their  existence,  and  framed 
the  municipal  laws  of  Denmark  to  favour  their 
operation.  In  doing  this,  the  Count  showed  a  de- 
ficiency of  true  political  science.  The  ships  thus 
covered  belonged  principally  to  Dutch  merchants.  It 
was  Dutch  capital  that  was  employed.  All  the  prin- 
cipal repairs  were  done  in  Dutch  ports.  The  perjured 
neutralisers  gained  about  two  per  cent,  on  the  nominal 


COURTS    OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  22CJ 

transfer  of  the  ships.  An  annual  tribute  was  paid  by 
the  owner,  called  "protection  money,"  equal  to  about 
four  shillings  per  ton  measurement,  or  two  per  cent, 
on  the  gross  amount  of  all  freights.  For  the  neutrali- 
sation of  cargoes,  one  per  cent,  on  the  amount,  ex- 
clusive of  a  fee  for  each  certificate.  The  most  solemn 
public  averments  were  sold  in  blank,  with  the  seals 
of  offices  and  the  formal  oath  regularly  attested  and 
witnessed !  Such  were  the  leading  features  of  that 
polluted  traffic  that  was  sanctioned  by  Count  Bern- 
storff.  That  statesman  was  wrong,  as  it  neither  respected 
morality  nor  profit.  If  he  had  maintained  the  integrity 
of  the  Danish  flag,  the  capital  and  industry  of  his 
countrymen  would  have  soon  created  a  trade  really 
neutral,  that  would  have  been  far  more  lucrative, 
permanent  and  untainted  by  crime.  The  Count,  by 
winking  at  the  criminal  avarice  of  unprincipled  mer- 
chants, became  their  idol.  It  was  this  secret  bias  that 
led  him  so  strongly  to  advocate  the  rights  of  neutral 
flags,  as  laid  down  in  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht,  and 
admitted  by  the  Treaty  of  1756  between  England  and 
France.  He  wished  to  see  Denmark  enriched  at  the 
expense  of  Great  Britain,  but  not  to  wrest  from  the 
latter  the  sovereignty  of  the  seas.  As  the  flames  of  war 
extended  from  America  to  Europe,  the  greater  was  the 
mass  of  Dutch,  French  and  Spanish  commerce  thrown 
into  the  hands  of  pseudo-neutrals.  Neutral  papers  and 
neutral  flags  were  publicly  advertised  for  sale  in  the 
ports  of  Holland,  France  and  Spain.  Innumerable 
captures  and  detentions  were  the  result.  The  law  of 
nations  was  annihilated.     The  maritime  rights  of  Great 


23O  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

Britain,  founded  on  public  law  and  essential  to  her 
safety,  were  trampled  on  and  set  at  nought.  The  Danes 
became  exasperated  against  England  for  interrupting 
a  trade  that  was  alike  lucrative,  illegal  and  immoral. 
In  all  the  ports  of  Europe  gigantic  preparations  were 
seen  for  preparing  the  vaunted  armament  that  was  to 
execute  the  vengeance  of  Europe,  destroy  the  navy  of 
Great  Britain,  and  restore  the  liberty  of  the  seas  ! 

By  an  extraordinary  combination  of  circumstances 
the  most  despotic  Courts  of  Europe  united  against  Great 
Britain  to  give  liberty  to  the  armed  and  revolted 
colonists.  The  Danes  and  the  Swedes  seemed  to  have 
laid  aside  mutual  animosities;  they  joined  in  alliance 
with  Russia.  Pressed  as  England  was  at  all  points, 
even  in  the  British  Channel,  by  the  fleets  of  her 
enemies,  her  naval  greatness  might  then  have  received 
its  death -wound  if  the  coalesced  Powers  had  been 
sincere  and  true  to  each  other.  Happily  for  Great 
Britain  there  existed  an  inveterate  jealousy  between 
Sweden  and  Denmark  :  the  latter  Court  had  the  worst 
possible  opinion  of  Gustavus  III.  Count  Bernstorff 
foresaw  that  if  a  great  naval  battle  took  place,  Catherine 
would  so  manage  that  her  fleets,  if  fortune  was  adverse, 
should  suffer  the  least,  and  run  away  with  the  fame — 
and  profit,  too — if  victorious.  He  foresaw  the  proba- 
bility of  the  naval  power  of  Denmark  being  crushed  in 
the  contest  if  she  once  committed  herself  fully  ;  thence 
he  determined  to  avoid  extremities.  The  imperious 
Catherine  saw  his  drift,  which  was  manifest  by  his 
inserting  an  article  in  the  treaty  with  Russia  stipulating 
that    Denmark    should    be    allowed    to    maintain    "  its 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  23 I 

former  alliances."  The  insertion  of  this  article  neu- 
tralised Denmark,  alarmed  Gustavus,  and  filled 
Catherine  with  rage ;  it  offended  Juliana  Maria,  and 
caused  equal  disappointment,  anger  and  regret  in  the 
Courts  of  Berlin,  Versailles  and  Madrid. 

Attempts  were  made  to  conciliate  Count  Bernstorff 
and  induce  him  to  withdraw  the  neutralising  clause. 
The  King  of  Prussia  sent  Prince  Ferdinand  of  Bruns- 
wick to  remonstrate  on  the  subject.  The  Prince 
assured  the  Count  of  the  permanence  of  his  high 
office,  if  he  yielded,  and  menaced  him  with  instant 
dismission  if  he  persisted.  The  Queen-Dowager, 
Juliana  Maria,  supported  the  arguments  of  Prince 
Ferdinand.  She  was  anxious  to  see  the  splendour 
and  power  of  the  House  of  Hanover  humbled  and 
greatly  reduced.  Count  Bernstorff  was,  however,  in- 
flexible. He  retired  from  Denmark,  accompanied  by 
the  mortifying  consideration  that  he  had  offended  all 
the  great  Powers ;  also  Great  Britain,  by  having 
favoured  the  enormous  breaches  of  commercial  neutra- 
lity which  had  so  materially  contributed  to  give  rise 
to  this  Northern  confederacy.  And  all  the  Northern 
Courts  were  displeased  by  his  inserting  an  article 
that  neutralised  the  naval  power  which  Denmark  was 
bound  to  supply. 

The  dismissal  of  Count  Bernstorff  caused  a  vast 
accession  of  influence  to  the  Queen-Dowager.  Guldberg, 
the  preceptor  to  Prince  Frederick  and  favourite  of  his 
mother,  who  was  called  Private  Secretary  to  the  King, 
was,  at  this  period,  the  efficient  Minister  for  Foreign 
Affairs.     The    influence    of    Count    Bernstorff"  and    the 


232  SECRET    HISTORY     OF     THE 

British  Cabinet  being  still  thought  too  great  in  the 
Council  of  State,  an  alteration  was  deemed  expedient, 
by  which  the  deliberative  power  of  the  Boards  of 
Commerce,  Finance,  and  the  Marine,  was  completely 
superseded.  After  the  fall  of  Struensee  the  old  mode 
of  government  was  re-established.  The  President  of 
the  Council  of  State  recommended  all  public  measures 
to  the  King,  who  signed  the  mandates,  which  were 
transmitted  to  those  Boards  for  execution. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Count  Bernstorff,  an  Interior 
Cabinet,  very  similar  to  that  of  Matilda  and  Struensee, 
was  established.  The  Council  of  State  was  passed 
over,  and  the  Boards  were  directed  to  execute  the 
orders  of  the  King,  who  continued  in  a  most  deplor- 
able state  of  mental  imbecility.  The  Queen-Dowager 
had  possession  of  his  person ;  and  as  she  could  obtain 
his  signature  to  every  document  laid  before  him,  nearly 
the  same  kind  of  interior  government  was  erected  as 
that  for  the  establishment  of  which  Struensee  was 
condemned  to  die.  By  this  step,  Juliana  obtained  the 
most  despotic  power,  a  power  that  she  retained  till 
the  son  of  the  unfortunate  Matilda,  aided  by  the  secret 
counsel  of  Count  Bernstorff,  wrested  the  reins  of 
government  from  her  hands,  and  drove  her  into  a 
retirement  whence  she  emerged  no  more. 

Although  deprived  of  office  by  foreign  influence, 
Count  Bernstorff  never  despaired  of  being  restored. 
He  kept  up  an  occasional  correspondence  with  Great 
Britain,  and  was  well  served  by  his  agents  at  his 
own  Court,  who  informed  him  of  all  that  passed,  and 
whenever    opportunity    served,    strove    to    impress    the 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN"     AND     DENMARK  233 

Crown    Prince    with    the    most    favourable    sentiments 
towards  that  statesman. 

Even  at  this  period,  it  is  probable  Juliana  had 
not  abandoned  all  hope  of  excluding  the  heir-apparent 
from  the  throne.  He  was  kept  as  much  as  possible 
in  the  background.  Her  emissaries  filled  the  residence 
with  reports  much  to  his  disadvantage,  representing 
him  as  stupid  and  intractable,  and  insinuating  that  he 
was  affected  with  the  same  mental  imbecility  that  had 
so  many  years  incapacitated  his  father  from  govern- 
ing. Christian  VII.  was  confirmed  before  he  was 
fourteen,  and  immediately  took  his  place  in  the 
Council  of  State.  The  sovereignty  was  now  vested 
in  Juliana.  The  Crown  Prince  attained  his  fourteenth 
year,  yet  not  a  symptom  was  shown  that  indicated 
an  intention  on  the  part  of  Juliana  to  permit  that 
solemn  ceremony.  The  cause  of  this  repugnance  was 
evident.  As  soon  as  the  Prince  was  confirmed  she  could 
not  exclude  him,  except  by  violence,  from  taking  his 
seat  in  the  Council.  She  feared  the  influence  of  his 
presence  there,  well  knowing  that  he  was  not  the  weak 
and  talentless  boy  that  he  had  been  represented.  It  was 
believed  that  the  advice  of  M.  Guldberg  prevented 
Juliana  Maria  from  attempting  to  set  aside  the  succes- 
sion of  the  Crown  Prince.  As  the  period  approached 
when  his  public  examination  must  of  necessity  take 
place,  and  also  his  admission  into  the  Council  of 
State,  a  new  mode  of  treatment  was  adopted. 
General  Eichstedt,  who  was  nominated  Governor  of 
the  Crown  Prince,  on  the  arrest  of  his  unhappy 
mother,    was    removed.      His    preceptor,     M.     Sporon, 


234  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

who  was  erroneously  thought  to  be  a  favourite  with 
the  Crown  Prince,  was  appointed  Secretary  of  the 
Council,  which  was  filled  with  persons  in  whom  Juliana 
had  the  most  confidence,  and  wherein  M.  Guldberg 
held  almost  unlimited  sway. 

In  January,  1784,  the  Crown  Prince  completed  his 
sixteenth  year.  In  stature  he  was  much  like  the  King 
— his  complexion  very  fair,  his  eyebrows  very  bushy 
for  a  youth  of  his  age,  his  hair  almost  white.  Though 
a  plain  likeness,  he  bore  a  strong  resemblance  to  his 
unfortunate  mother. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  the  birthday  of  the 
Prince,  the  Queen  -  Dowager  augmented  the  pensions 
of  several  courtiers,  and  created  eight  new  Knights 
of  the  Order  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amongst  them  was 
M.  Molckte,  steward  of  the  household.  One  of  those 
sudden  turns  in  politics  that  sometimes  reconcile  the 
most  jarring  interests,  led  to  the  restoration  of  peace 
between  the  Counts  Bernstorff  and  Schak  Ratlau.  The 
latter  nobleman  had,  like  Count  Rantzau,  lent  himself,  in 
1780,  to  the  Queen-Dowager,  and  aided  her  in  driving 
Count  Bernstorff  into  retirement.  Feeling  himself  of 
less  consequence  than  he  expected,  or  seeing  a  chance 
of  bettering  his  fortune,  he  made  private  offers  to  the 
Crown  Prince,  by  whom  they  were  accepted,  who 
displayed  in  his  secret  correspondence  with  Count 
Bernstorff  a  firm  and  sensible  mind.  Such  was  his 
discretion,  he  did  not  acquaint  Count  Ratlau  of  his 
intercourse  with  Bernstorff,  whilst  to  the  latter  he  com- 
municated everything  proposed  by  the  former.  As  the 
eventful  day  approached,  the  Crown  Prince  assumed  a 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  235 

more  free  and  friendly  demeanour  towards  his  step- 
mother and  her  son.  Without  descending  to  any  gross 
or  culpable  duplicity,  he  completely  deceived  M.  Guld- 
berg,  and  even  his  preceptor,  M.  Sporon.  Not  so  with 
the  lynx-eyed  Juliana.  She  found  means  to  ascertain 
the  existence  of  a  secret  correspondence.  This  fact  she 
communicated  to  M.  Guldberg,  who  admonished  her 
with  much  earnestness  not  to  risk  the  fatal  consequences 
that  he  foresaw  would  result  from  her  pushing  matters 
to  extremities.  He  told  her  that  he  believed  a  crisis 
was  at  hand  that  would  be  fatal  to  her  power,  and  if 
she  acted  rashly,  probably  to  her  own  life  and  that  of 
her  son.  She  had  wisdom  enough  to  take  in  good  part 
the  counsel  of  a  man  who  had  shown  himself  in  every- 
thing her  firm,  unshaken  friend.  She  promised  to 
abstain  from  acts  of  violence  ;  and  he  was  not  so 
tired  of  being  efficiently  the  First  Minister  of  the 
Crown  as  to  recommend  a  voluntary  surrender  of  the 
reins  of  government. 

Ambition  being  Juliana's  leading  passion,  she  could 
have  met  death  with  less  horror  than  a  blow  that 
must  annihilate  her  political  power  and  force  her  into 
retirement.  Contrary  to  the  advice  of  M.  Guldberg, 
she  went  to  the  apartment  of  the  Crown  Prince,  and 
accusing  him  of  holding  a  secret  correspondence,  would 
have  proceeded  to  interrogation.  He  listened  to  her 
with  the  most  profound  attention,  and  when  she  had 
finished  speaking,  he  said,  with  a  careless  air,  "  As  you 
are  certain,  madam,  it  is  so,  have  the  kindness  to  inform 
me  from  whom  you  have  derived  the  information  ?  I 
shall  then  know  what  answer  to  give."     She  perceived 


236  SECRET    HISTORY    OF    THE 

there  was  nothing  to  be  obtained  by  interrogatories,  and 
withdrew. 

Count  Bernstorff  was  pretty  well  assured  that  M. 
Guldberg  would  not  risk  his  life  and  fortune  by  en- 
couraging the  Queen-Dowager  to  defend  by  force  her 
illegal  power.  The  Count  remained  at  his  estate,  but 
everything  was  guided  by  his  wisdom.  He  had  secured 
the  support  of  some  officers  of  high  rank.  The  com- 
mandant of  the  citadel  engaged,  if  the  attempt  failed, 
to  give  that  fortress  up  to  the  Crown  Prince,  as  a  place 
of  safe  retreat  for  himself  and  adherents. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1784,  he  being  then  sixteen 
years  and  two  months  old,  the  Crown  Prince  was  con- 
firmed in  the  Royal  chapel  of  Christianborg,  in  the 
presence  of  the  whole  Court,  the  foreign  ministers,  the 
great  officers  of  State,  and  other  persons  of  distinction 
who  had  been  invited.  M.  Basholm,  first  chaplain  to 
the  King,  interrogated  him  as  to  his  religious  creed. 
The  examination  continued  a  long  time,  and  the  Crown 
Prince  made  his  responses  in  a  firm,  manly,  deliberate 
and  very  audible  tone  of  voice.  His  demeanour  was 
mild,  dignified  and  collected,  giving  the  most  complete 
refutation  to  the  calumnies  that  had  been  so  in- 
dustriously spread.  Juliana  was  astonished  and 
dismayed.  The  impression  he  made  on  the  audience 
was  such  that  many  actually  were  affected  even  to 
the  shedding  of  tears.  When  Count  Bernstorff  was 
assured  of  the  firmness  and  capacity  which  the  Crown 
Prince  displayed  during  this  trying  test,  he  anticipated 
complete  success  when  the  great  attempt  should  be 
made. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  237 

At  length  the  hour  arrived  that  was  destined  finally 
to  destroy  the  power  of  Juliana  and  her  party,  and 
effect  a  change  in  the  Danish  Government  almost  as 
great  as  that  which  followed  the  arrest  of  Matilda. 
Having  received  the  sacrament,  the  Crown  Prince  was 
admitted  as  a  member  of  the  Privy  Council,  and 
succeeded  his  uncle,  Prince  Frederick,  as  President. 
On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  April,  he  took  the  oath 
prescribed.  At  the  moment  of  relieving  guard,  when 
a  double  proportion  of  the  garrison  was  under  arms, 
he  gave  personal  orders  that  no  one  should  quit  his 
post  without  permission  from  himself.  The  Council 
were  assembled  in  the  King's  apartment ;  his  uncle 
was  present.  The  Crown  Prince  addressed  himself  to 
the  King,  his  father,  stating  that  the  law  now  called 
on  him  to  govern,  to  do  which  efficiently,  he  required 
a  Council  in  whom  both  himself  and  the  nation  had 
confidence.  He  then  produced  a  memoir  that  he  had 
composed,  and  which,  having  read  in  a  firm,  deliberate 
tone  of  voice,  he  laid  before  the  King  and  requested 
his  signature.  The  poor  imbecile  Monarch  who  had 
during  so  many  years  been  kept  in  strict  subjection, 
appeared  to  hesitate.  One  of  the  members  (Rosen- 
crone)  arose,  and  said,  "  Your  Royal  Highness  is 
sensible  the  King  cannot  sign  such  a  paper  without 
due  consideration."  He  had  the  boldness  even  to 
attempt  to  snatch  the  paper  from  the  Prince's  hand. 
Turning  round  to  the  Count  with  an  air  full  of  dignity 
and  courage,  the  Crown  Prince  said,  "  It  is  not,  sir, 
for  you  to  advise  the  King  on  such  an  occasion,  but  I, 
who    am    heir-apparent    to    the   throne,   and  responsible 


238  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

to  the  nation."  Count  Schak  Ratlau  was  in  the 
confidence  of  the  Prince,  and  he  remained  silent. 
Guldberg  was  also  silent,  appearing  thereby  to 
acquiesce.  Prince  Frederick  looked  astonished  and  dis- 
mayed. The  Crown  Prince  then  laid  the  papers  before 
his  father,  by  whom  they  were  immediately  signed. 
The  papers  were  at  once  carried  by  a  confidential 
agent  to  the  Royal  Chancellory  and  entered  in  the 
records  of  the  Crown.  Being  thus  authorised  to  act, 
the  Crown  Prince  addressed  himself  to  the  Council  in  a 
mild,  yet  decisive  tone,  and  announced  their  dismissal.1 
He  informed  them  that  he  had  nominated  a  new  Coun- 
cil, and  appointed  Count  Bernstorff  First  Minister  of 
the  Crown.  He  assured  the  discarded  members  of  his 
great  regard,  and  qualified  their  grief  and  mortification 
by  promising  them  indemnification  in  pensions,  or  some 
other  equivalent.  To  his  uncle  he  behaved  with  the 
utmost  respect  and  deference,  entreating  him  to  honour 
the  new  Council  with  his  presence  and  assist  him  with 
his  advice. 

From  the  council-room  the  Crown  Prince  went  to 
the  castle-guard  and  addressed  the  officers  of  the 
regiments  of  horse  and  foot  then  on  duty,  whom  he 
found  assembled  agreeably  to  his  orders.  They  imme- 
diately bound  themselves  by  an  oath  to  obey  him. 
He  then  passed  on  to  the  Queen's  magnificent  apart- 
ment, to  whom  he  communicated  the  important  change 
that  had  taken  place.  Notwithstanding  the  blow  was 
expected,   it  seemed  almost    to   annihilate  that    haughty 

1  Rosencrone,  Stehman,  Molckte,  Eichstedt  and  Guldberg. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  239 

woman.  The  Prince  looked  at  her  with  pity,  and 
spoke  to  her  in  the  mildest  terms.  He  told  her  she 
was  at  liberty  if  she  pleased  to  retain  the  same  apart- 
ments and  household  attendants.  He  gave  her  a  choice 
of  any  of  the  Royal  castles  for  her  country  residence ; 
but,  he  also  gave  her  to  understand  that  she  must  no 
more  interfere  in  affairs  of  State. 

He  left  Juliana  scarcely  able  to  reply,  and  met  the 
assembled  new  Council  (Bernstorff  excepted),  the 
governor  of  Copenhagen,  the  commandant  of  the 
citadel,  the  commanding  officers  of  the  battalions  in 
garrison,  the  colonel  of  the  Copenhagen  armed  bur- 
ghers, and  the  chief  officers  of  police,  telling  them  it 
was  his  orders  only  to  which  they  were  in  future  to 
pay  obedience. 

Expresses  were  sent  every  hour  to  Count  Bernstorff 
to  inform  him  how  matters  were  going  on.  When  the 
revolution  was  completed,  the  Crown  Prince  sent  him 
an  appointment  to  his  former  office,  as  Minister  for 
Foreign  Affairs,  which  w7as  vacant  by  the  dismission 
of  Count  Rosencrone,  and  held,  ad  interim,  by  Count 
Schak  Ratlau. 

These  important  changes  were  soon  known  in  the 
city,  and  the  heroic  conduct  of  the  young  Crown  Prince 
loudly  applauded.  The  affection  that  the  inhabitants 
felt  towards  him  was  soon  manifested  by  the  impatience 
with  which  they  clamoured  for  the  young  Regent  to 
appear,  in  whom  they  hoped  to  see  revived  the  fine 
qualities  of  his  grandfather,  Frederick  V.  An  immense 
multitude  soon  assembled  near  the  great  palace.  Their 
shouts  and  huzzas  penetrated  every  recess  of  that  vast 


24O  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

edifice,  and  smote  the  aching  heart  of  Juliana,  who 
trembled  with  apprehensions  even  for  her  personal 
safety.  Dressed  in  a  general's  uniform,  the  modest 
young  Prince  showed  himself  to  his  people,  and  was 
hailed  by  plaudits  that  shook  the  whole  city.  Fearless 
and  alone,  attended  only  by  a  single  domestic,  he  walked 
through  the  midst  of  the  multitude  and  the  principal 
streets  of  Copenhagen.  He  thus  perambulated  the 
town  without  the  interference  of  the  military,  the 
crowd  keeping  at  a  respectful  distance.  The  windows 
and  balconies  were  crowded  with  handsome  and  well- 
dressed  females,  who  waved  their  hands  and  handker- 
chiefs, bowing  as  he  passed.  These  courtesies  he  re- 
turned, and  thus  escorted  by  a  people  in  whose  affec- 
tions he  already  reigned,  the  Crown  Prince  re-entered 
the  portals  of  Christianborg.  This  was  the  most  bril- 
liant day  of  his  life.  This  Prince  has  lived  to  experience 
deep  and  heavy  misfortunes.  He  may  have  adopted 
injurious  measures,  but  the  purity  of  his  intentions, 
the  integrity  of  his  heart,  were  never  questioned ;  nor, 
when  his  metropolis  was  wrapped  in  flames  and  his 
dominions  partitioned,  did  he  ever  lose  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  his  people.  There  is  no  test  equal  to 
that  of  adversity.  When  a  nation  preserves  its  attach- 
ment to  a  Prince  overwhelmed  by  misfortunes,  it  may 
safely  be  concluded  he  merited  by  his  virtues  the  regard 
that  is  bestowed. 

To  return  from  this  digression:  the  high  steward 
of  the  palace,  and  M.  Jacobi,  reader  to  the  King, 
were  dismissed.  Four  chamberlains  were  appointed, 
to  whom  was  entrusted  the  care  of  the   King's  person, 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  241 

and  to  provide  him  amusements.  M.  Schack  was  ap- 
pointed Grand  Master  of  the  Ceremonies,  an  office  not 
including  the  right  of  access  to  the  King.  Upon  his 
retirement  from  that  office,  it  was  bestowed  on  M.  de 
Numsen,  director  of  the  customs  at  Elsineur,  son  to 
the  lady  who  had  the  care  of  the  Crown  Prince  in  his 
infancy.  This  gentleman  was  highly  esteemed  for  his 
talents  and  acquirements.  He  had  travelled  much, 
and  resided  in  several  Courts,  was  possessed  of  a  fine 
taste,  great  politeness,  and  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  world.  He  was,  besides,  a  munificent  patron  of 
learning  and  the  fine  arts.  M.  Sporon,  the  Prince's 
preceptor,  was  dismissed,  being  too  much  devoted  to 
Juliana  to  expect  any  gratitude  from  the  Crown  Prince. 
His  dismissal  followed  so  soon  at  the  heels  of  his 
appointment  that  he  had  scarcely  received  the  con- 
gratulations of  his  friends  on  account  of  the  acquisition 
before  he  stood  in  need  of  their  condolence  on  its  loss. 

Within  a  few  days  after  these  great  events,  Count 
Rosencrone  retired  to  his  estates  in  Jutland.  He  was 
indemnified  by  a  pension  equal  to  about  six  hundred 
pounds  sterling  per  annum.  He  carried  with  him  into 
retirement  the  reputation  of  an  honest,  well-meaning 
man.  The  mildness  of  his  deportment  caused  his  dis- 
missal to  be  regretted,  not  only  by  those  who  had  the 
honour  of  his  acquaintance,  but  by  all  who  had  occasion 
to  transact  business  with  him  as  Minister  for  Foreign 
Affairs.  His  family  were  then  recently  ennobled,  and  he 
was  first  employed  by  the  Court  in  the  diplomatic  line. 

M.    Stehman   was   appointed  to   a    valuable  post   at 
Hardersleben.      This  gentleman  owed  his  fortune  prin- 
vol.  1  16 


242  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

cipally  to  his  zeal  and  industry.  He  was  a  laborious 
calculator  rather  than  a  splendid  orator.  Count  Schim- 
melman,  son  to  the  Minister  of  that  name  so  celebrated 
in  the  annals  of  Denmark,  succeeded  M.  Stehman  as 
Minister  of  Finance. 

Instead  of  oppressing  M.  Guldberg,  who  had  so 
principal  a  hand  in  the  misfortunes  of  his  unhappy 
mother,  the  Crown  Prince  allowed  him  to  remain 
high  steward  of  the  household  of  Prince  Frederick, 
with  pensions  to  the  amount  of  a  thousand  pounds 
sterling  per  annum.  This  gentleman  possessed  talent 
more  than  equal  to  Struensee's,  with  a  judgment  in- 
comparably superior.  He  was  temperate,  inquisitive 
and  industrious.  He  had  but  little  taste  for  light 
amusements,  and  was  seldom  seen  at  balls  or  galas. 
He  was  devoted  to  domestic  duties — a  strong  indica- 
tion of  a  virtuous  mind.  He  was  twice  married ;  his 
wives  were  sisters,  daughters  of  a  miller  residing 
near  Fredensborg.  These  pages  show  the  favour  he 
enjoyed  from  Juliana  and  her  son,  Prince  Frederick. 
That  he  lent  himself  too  implicitly  to  the  views  of 
his  Royal  patron  may  be  admitted.  It  was,  perhaps, 
his  only  road  to  power.  He  had,  at  least,  the  merit 
of  enjoying  his  good  fortune  with  exemplary  modera- 
tion, and  exhibiting  a  fidelity  to  those  by  whom 
he  was  advanced  that  is  highly  honourable  to  his 
character. 

General  Eichstedt,  after  his  dismissal  from  Court 
and  from  his  colonelship  of  horse-guards,  retired  to 
his  estates,  honoured  with  the  high  post  of  Lord 
Chamberlain    of   Denmark. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  243 

Infinitely  to  the  honour  of  the  Crown  Prince,  he 
set  an  example  to  all  the  ministers  and  servants  of 
the  Crown  in  the  respectful  delicacy  with  which  he 
treated  his  dejected,  disconsolate  step-mother  and  his 
uncle.  He  strove  by  the  kindest  deportment  to  soften 
the  stroke  that  wrested  a  sceptre  from  her  hands.  His 
mildness  and  humility  affected  her  proud  spirit  more 
than  any  other  mode  of  conduct  could  have  done. 
She  saw  he  pitied  and  forgave  her,  and  it  almost  broke 
her  heart.  She  soon  withdrew  from  the  metropolis, 
fixing  her  residence  at  Fredensborg.  No  hope  re- 
mained of  her  ever  regaining  the  power  she  had  lost. 
Sullenly  resigned,  she  strove  to  appear  not  to  value 
what  had  passed  away,  equal  to  the  tranquillity  and 
retirement  it  procured  her.  She  resolved  to  devote  her 
time  to  prepare  for  another  and  a  better  world,  and 
her  wealth  to  charitable  purposes.  It  must  in  candour 
be  admitted,  if  the  motives  that  animated  her  conduct 
in  effecting  the  fall  of  Matilda  were  base,  the  use 
that  she  made  of  the  power  thus  obtained  offered 
no  small  atonement. 

Above  all,  the  mildness  and  fortitude  that  dis- 
tinguished the  Crown  Prince  on  this  trying  occasion 
entitled  him  to  admiration  and  esteem.  There  was 
a  pensiveness  imprinted  on  his  features  that  showed 
he  had  not  been  nursed  in  the  lap  of  fortune.  He 
sought  to  obtain  his  legal  inheritance,  but  he  avoided 
everything  that  looked  like  exultation  or  triumph. 
Firm  and  temperate  at  the  moment  of  peril,  his  de- 
meanour was  marked  by  modesty  and  discretion. 
When    his    enemies    were    overthrown,    humanity    pre- 

16 — 2 


244  SECRET     HISTORY     OF     THE 

vented  him  from  exposing  to  loss  and  degradation 
those  whom  he  dismissed  from  their  offices.  The 
ministers  whom  he  had  removed  were  generally  re- 
spected as  men  of  probity  and  talent.  In  the  day 
of  prosperity  they  had  conducted  themselves  with 
moderation.  The  fine  arts,  sciences,  commerce,  manu- 
factures and  agriculture  were  encouraged.  Their 
greatest  fault  lay  in  the  part  which  some  of  them 
had  acted  in  the  sad  and  terrible  events  of  1772. 
This  was  the  real  cause  why  the  Crown  Prince  dis- 
missed them.  There  was  scarcely  an  individual 
amongst  them  whom  he  did  not  in  some  way  or  other 
indemnify,  displaying  at  this  early  age  a  degree  of 
wisdom  and  clemency  that  gave  the  fairest  promise 
of  his  becoming  a  just  and  magnanimous  Sovereign. 

The  new  ministers  appointed  by  the  Crown  Prince 
at  the  revolution  of  1784  were:  Count  Bernstorff, 
Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  and  President  of  the  Ger- 
man Chancellory ;  the  Baron  Rosencrantz,  President 
of  the  College  of  Admiralty ;  the  Baron  Schak  Ratlau, 
Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Copenhagen ;  General 
Von  Huth,  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Artillery  and 
President  of  the  College  of  War;  and  M.  de  Stamp, 
President  of  the   Danish  Chancellory. 

During  the  absence  of  Christian  VII.  on  his  travels 
in  England  and  France,  Baron  de  Rosencrantz  had 
the  direction  of  the  War  Department.  He  was  a  man 
of  superior  intellect  and  liberal  endowments.  His 
manners  were  polished  and  graceful,  his  knowledge 
of  the  world  extensive.  He  possessed  everything 
requisite  to  shine  in  a  regal  Court. 


COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK  245 

Baron  Schak  Ratlau  was  valued  for  his  talents 
and  acquirements  in  literature  and  the  fine  arts.  He 
enjoyed  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  Denmark  by  his 
noble  and  generous  conduct  at  the  commencement  of 
Struensee's  administration.  At  the  time  of  this  great 
change,  General  Von  Huth  had  arrived  at  the  venerable 
age  of  seventy-five  years,  yet  he  appeared  to  possess 
the  activity  of  a  man  of  forty,  and  all  his  mental 
faculties  were  still  verdant.  He  owed  his  elevation 
principally  to  his  merit.  He  was  born  in  Hesse 
Cassel.  After  serving  in  several  wars,  he  entered  the 
Danish  service  as  a  lieutenant-colonel,  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  Count  St.  Germaine.  He  was  plain 
and  unassuming  in  his  manners,  and,  exclusive  of  his 
professional  fame,  he  enjoyed  an  unsullied  reputation 
for  morality  and  unbending  integrity. 

The  minister  who  presided  over  the  Danish  Chan- 
cellory was  also  possessed  of  qualities  that,  equally 
with  his  compeers,  had  acquired  confidence  and  esteem. 
The  four  first  of  the  new  ministers  were  Knights  of 
the  Elephant,  corresponding  in  rank  with  that  of  the 
Garter  in  Great  Britain  ;  De  Stamp  was  invested 
with  that  of  Dannebrog.  From  this  period  the  Crown 
Prince  dedicated  his  time  to  the  acquirement  of  wisdom 
and  experience,  whereby  to  qualify  himself  to  reign. 
Not  content  with  presiding  in  the  Council,  he  paid  daily 
visits  to  his  ministers,  and  most  frequently  to  Count 
Bernstorff.  He  also  attended  the  courts  of  justice,  as 
well  to  observe  the  conduct  of  the  judges  as  to  gain  a 
practical  knowledge  of  the  Danish  jurisprudence. 

According  to  the  authority  of  that  intelligent  writer, 


246  COURTS     OF     SWEDEN     AND     DENMARK 

Mr.  Coxe  (vol.  v.,  p.  177),  the  only  foreigner  who  was 
supposed  to  have  had  any  prior  knowledge  of  these 
transactions  was  Mr.  Elliot,  who  then  resided  as  British 
Envoy  at  Copenhagen,  having  repaired  thither  from 
Berlin.  The  King  of  Great  Britain,  uncle  to  the  Crown 
Prince,  was  the  first  Sovereign  to  whom  the  Prince 
Royal  communicated  the  success  of  his  daring  enter- 
prise. Alas !  how  little  did  that  virtuous  Sovereign  or 
his  young  nephew  imagine  what  dreadful  visitations,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  years,  the  fleets  and  armies  of 
Britain  would  pour  on  Denmark !  Had  it  been  fore- 
told, it  would  have  been  regarded  as  some  frightful 
vision  springing  from  a  distempered  brain.  From  this 
period,  the  reign  of  Frederick  VI.  may  be  considered  as 
commencing,  the  interesting  events  of  which  will  be 
related  in  the  proper  place. 


THE   SWEDISH    OLIGARCHY 


The  following  short  chapter  is  introduced  merely  to  remind 
the  reader  of  some  of  the  leading  events  that  occurred  in  Sweden 
after  the  death  of  Charles  XII.,  and  the  better  to  elucidate  the 
state  of  that  kingdom  when  Gustavus  III.  overthrew  the  oli- 
garchy in  1772. 


CHAPTER    X 

The  Swedes  have  ever  been  celebrated  for  their 
valour  and  love  of  freedom.  No  nation  on  earth  merits 
a  higher  character  for  every  manly  virtue.  Under  vic- 
torious princes,  they  gained  abundance  of  glory,  but 
it  was  at  the  expense  of  their  independence.  Gus- 
tavus Adolphus,  considered  merely  as  a  warrior,  justly 
merited  the  title  of  "The  Great";  but  his  deep 
inroads  on  the  constitutional  rights  of  the  people 
prevented  his  having  any  valid  pretensions  to  that 
nobler  appellation,  "  The  Good."  It  is  a  well-known 
trait  of  the  character  of  Charles  XII.  that  when  the 
Archbishop  of  Upsala  was  about  to  place  the  diadem 
upon  his  head,  the  demi-barbarian,  rudely  seizing  the 
splendid  ornament,  placed  it  himself  on  his  head. 


248  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

The  death  of  that  indifferent  monarch,  but  great 
soldier,  was  regarded  as  a  blessing  by  a  great  part  of 
the  nation.  And  if  the  Order  of  Nobility  had  not 
found  means  to  erect  an  oligarchy  upon  the  ruins  of 
his  despotism,  the  peaceable  establishment  of  a  free 
Government  might  have  indemnified  Sweden  for  all 
the  calamities  which  had  originated  in  his  vast  and 
irrational  ambition. 

The  sister  of  Charles  XII.,  the  Princess  Ulrica 
Eleonora,  for  the  sake  of  securing  a  crown  that  might 
have  been  contested,  renounced  in  her  own  name  and 
in  that  of  her  descendants  and  successors  all  claim  to 
absolute  power,  and  formally  recognised  the  right  of 
election  to  be  in  the  nation  in  Diet  assembled.  Her 
husband,  Frederick  I.,  signed  the  Charter  agreed  to 
by  his  consort ;  he  adopted  the  Lutheran  religion, 
and  was  elected  and  crowned  King  of  Sweden. 

The  Charter  of  1720  was  the  work  of  the  faction 
called  the  "  Caps,"  who  plumed  themselves  as  patriots 
because  they  had  stripped  the  Crown  of  undue  pre- 
rogatives ;  and  they  would  have  merited  the  appella- 
tion if,  instead  of  founding  a  grasping  and  devouring 
oligarchy,  they  had  limited  their  own  odious  privileges 
and  extended  the  liberty  of  the  three  inferior  Orders. 

The  power  of  the  King,  by  the  letter  of  the  Charter 
of  1720,  was  reduced  to  a  mere  cipher.  The  monarch 
had  no  longer  the  power  to  declare  war  or  make  peace, 
levy  taxes,  raise  recruits,  appoint  officers  of  State,  or 
dispose  of  the  property  of  the  Crown.  The  King  had 
two  votes  in  the  Senate,  and,  if  the  voices  were  equal, 
the    casting    vote    in    such    cases   lay   with    the    King. 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  249 

The  Senate  and  Nobility  possessed  all  the  power  and 
patronage  of  Government.  The  three  inferior  Orders, 
namely,  the  clergy,  burghers  and  peasants  were  op- 
pressed, degraded  and  mocked  by  a  nominal  share 
in  the  legislative  power,  but  void  of  real  authority 
or    influence. 

The  following  are  the  principal  articles  contained 
in  the  Charter  extorted  by  the  Senate  and  Nobility 
from  the  King  and  Queen  of  Sweden  in  1720  and 
1723,  viz.: 

"  The  supreme  power  ought  to  reside  for  ever  in 
the  Assembly  of  States,  composed  of  the  representa- 
tives of  the  four  Orders  of  citizens,  the  nobility,  clergy, 
burgesses,  and  the  immediate  peasants  of  the   Crown. 

"  The  States,  whether  convoked  or  not,  shall 
assemble  every  third  year  to  review  the  conduct  of 
the  Senate,  colleges  and  other  departments  in  the 
execution  of  the  laws  entrusted  to  them,  and  to 
adopt  such  measures  as  may  be  necessary  for  the 
welfare    and    glory    of    the    realm. 

"  The  Crown  of  Sweden  shall  not  be  held  by  any 
Prince  under  the  age  of  twenty-one  years ;  and  the 
States  shall  have  the  right  of  appointing  tutors  for 
the    education    of  the   Royal    Family. 

"  The  legislative  power  shall  be  wholly  in  the 
States,  whose  consent  shall  be  necessary  to  give 
validity  to  the  decrees  passed  by  the  King  and 
Senate  in  the  intervals  between  the  meetings  of  the 
Diets. 

"  The  States  reserve  to  themselves  the  right  of 
making  war,  but,  in  case  of  invasion  or  domestic  com- 


25O  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

motions,  the  King,  in  concert  with  the  Senate,  may 
take  measures  for  repelling  force  by  force,  without 
waiting  for  the  meeting  of  the  States,  which  shall, 
however,  be   convoked   without    delay. 

"  The  King  may  coin  money,  but  the  standard 
shall    be   regulated    by   the    States. 

"  The  King  shall  not  upon  any  occasion  leave  the 
kingdom   without    the    consent    of  the    States. 

"  In  case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  Senate,  three  can- 
didates, natives  of  Sweden,  shall  be  nominated  by  the 
States,  of  whom  His  Majesty  shall  accept  one. 

"  During  the  illness  or  absence  of  the  King,  the 
Senate    shall    sign    all   public    Acts. 

"  All  the  superior  military  officers,  from  field- 
marshals  to  colonels  inclusively,  shall  be  appointed 
by   the    King. 

"  The  States,  assembled  in  Diet,  shall  give  redress 
to  all  persons  prejudiced  by  the  regulations  or  de- 
cisions  of    the    States. 

"  The  ancient  privileges  of  the  Senate  shall  be  for 
ever  inviolable,  but  no  new  privilege  relating  to  any 
separate  Order  can  be  valid  without  the  consent  of 
the   whole." 

To   these,    in    1723,    were    added    the   following: 

"  The  King,  in  concert  with  the  Senate,  may 
convoke  the  States  before  the  expiration  of  the  three 
years. 

"  Upon  the  death,  absence  or  illness  of  the  King, 
the  Senate  in  a  body  may  convoke  the  States,  which 
they  may  also  do  when  the  welfare  of  the  country  or 
the  liberty  of  the  States  is  in  danger. 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  25 1 

"  If,  in  the  above  cases,  neither  the  King  nor  the 
Senate  shall  convoke  the  States  within  the  time  pre- 
scribed, the  States  shall  declare  everything  done  in  the 
interval,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  null ;  of  which  they 
shall  order  notice  to  be  given  by  the  Governor  of 
Stockholm,  and  the  governors  of  the  different  pro- 
vinces, that  the  States  may  assemble  of  their  own 
accord  at  the  proper  time  and  place. 

"  When  the  throne  is  vacant,  the  States,  whether 
convoked  or  not,  shall  assemble  at  Stockholm  thirty 
days  after  the  death  of  the  King,  and  shall  proceed 
to  a  new  election. 

"  The  individuals  who  compose  the  States  shall 
bind  themselves  by  an  oath  not  to  propose,  agree  to, 
or  execute  anything  that  has  a  tendency  to  change 
the  form  of  government ;  and  whatever  shall  be  de- 
creed by  the  States  to  the  prejudice  of  the  liberty  and 
independence   of  the   nation,  shall  be  null  and  invalid. 

"  The  Senate  and  the  King  shall  be  responsible  for 
their  conduct  in  the  intervals  between  the  meetings 
of  the  Diet. 

"  There  shall  be  a  secret  committee  for  affairs  not 
proper  to  be  fully  discussed ;  and  this  shall  be  com- 
posed of  the  three  first  Orders,  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
peasants  ;  all  matters  referred  from  the  whole  body 
shall  be  settled  here,  and  the  members  shall  be  abso- 
lutely prohibited  from  conferring  with  foreign  ministers. 

"  The  States  shall  make  the  laws,  but  they  shall 
be  signed  by  the  King  and  executed  in  his  name.  In 
default  of  the  King,  the  Senate  shall  sign,  and  cause 
them  to  be  executed. 


252  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

"  Each  Order  shall  have  a  vote  in  the  regulation 
of  affairs  relating  to  the  nation  in  general,  and  the 
plurality  of  the  four  votes  shall  decide  the  question  ; 
but  where  the  just  privileges  of  any  single  Order  are 
concerned,  the  matter  must  be  decided  by  a  unani- 
mous vote  of  all  the  Orders." 

The  defects  of  such  a  system  of  government  are 
so  palpable,  they  need  no  elucidation.  For  the  exer- 
cise of  the  power  wrested  from  the  Crown,  two  fierce 
and  powerful  factions  contested ;  that  which  Russia 
supported  was  called  the  "  Caps "  ;  that  devoted  to 
the  furtherance  of  French  politics  was  known  by 
the  appellation  of  the  "  Hats."  The  Caps,  to  amuse 
the  nation,  professed  their  determination  to  cultivate 
the  friendship  of  Russia,  and  promote  internal  and 
external  peace,  agriculture  and  manufactures.  The 
Hats  sought  for  partisans  by  extolling  the  value  of  a 
French  alliance,  stimulating  the  nation  to  aspire  to 
the  reconquest  of  the  provinces  that  formerly  belonged 
to  Sweden.  These  two  factions,  with  varied  success, 
carried  on  their  machinations  for  half  a  century  !  al- 
ternately or  simultaneously  in  the  pay  of  France, 
Russia,  England  or  Denmark. 

The  martial  spirit  of  the  Swedes  led  them  to 
forgive  Charles  XII.,  not  only  his  losses  in  the  field  of 
battle,  but  his  despotic  principles.  It  could  not  be 
denied  that  his  fierce  and  ungovernable  ambition  had 
covered  Sweden  with  mourning,  but  it  was  sorrow 
unalloyed  by  dishonour.  National  pride  was  gratified 
in  contemplating  the  exploits  of  the  conqueror,  whilst 
his   fame    poured    a    blaze    of    imperishable    glory    over 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  253 

his  impoverished  and  exhausted  country.  His  faults 
were  all  forgotten,  and  if  they  wept,  it  was  rather 
on  account  of  his  fall  than  of  the  sufferings  he  had 
entailed  on  his  bleeding  country.  Such  being  the 
feelings  of  the  great  bulk  of  the  population,  as  it 
might  have  been  foreseen,  the  pacific  measures  of 
the  Caps  were  publicly  condemned  as  being  servile 
and  disgraceful.  And  with  diminished  resources,  and 
an  impoverished  exchequer,  the  prevailing  faction  rashly 
ventured  on  a  war  with  Russia.  The  loss  of  an  army 
of  brave  men,  Count  de  Lewenhaupt,  and  part  of 
the  Swedish  territories  in  Finland  and  Lapland,  fur- 
nished lasting  cause  of  regret  in  Sweden  for  having 
suffered  itself  to  be  led  astray  by  factious  chiefs, 
who,  under  the  plausible  pretext  of  paramount  regard 
to  the  public  good,  had  no  better  object  in  view 
than  the  augmentation  of  their  own  power  and 
revenues.  During  this  war  the  King  had,  perhaps, 
a  secret  interest  in  thwarting,  as  far  as  he  could, 
the  measures  of  the  Senate  by  which  his  power  was 
shackled  and  his  splendour  eclipsed.  In  revenge,  the 
Court  of  Versailles  instigated  the  States,  or  rather 
the  oligarchy,  to  add  new  trammels  to  those  already 
fastened  on  the  power  of  the  monarch,  by  exercising 
the  control  of  the  Senate  over  the  personal  property 
of  the  King.  On  the  25th  of  March,  1751,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  seventy-one  years,  died  Frederick  I., 
who  was  succeeded  by  Adolphus  Frederick.  This 
Prince  had  been  married  some  few  years  to  the 
Princess  Louisa  of  Prussia,  sister  of  Frederick  the 
Great,    a   woman    of   rare  endowments  and    uncommon 


254 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 


cultivation.  She  was  the  early  patron  of  several  of 
those  great  men  who  afterwards  extended  the  sphere 
of  human  knowledge  and  shed  an  imperishable  lustre 
on  their  country.  Sir  Charles  Linne,  K.P.S.,  Berg- 
mann  and  Menanderhjelm  were  among  the  number 
of  her  scientific  friends. 

This  great  woman — who  really  merited  the  ap- 
pellation of  "the  Minerva  of  the  North" — was  pecu- 
liarly the  object  of  Senatorial  vengeance.  By  the 
thirteenth  article  of  the  Ordinance  of  1723,  it  was 
enacted  that  the  States  of  Sweden  were  empowered 
to  inspect  the  jewels  of  the  Crown  as  well  as  those 
of  the  Royal  Treasury ;  and  merely  to  wound  the 
feelings  of  the  illustrious  foreigner — who  was  alike 
eminent  for  beauty,  dignity  and  fine  accomplishments 
— the  Senate  demanded  to  inspect  her  jewels,  pre- 
tending, as  an  excuse,  that  their  high  mightinesses  had 
heard  that  the  Queen  had  sent  them  to  Berlin  !  Count 
Tessin,  the  Swedish  Ambassador  at  Berlin,  had  de- 
livered the  jewels  in  question  to  the  Queen  as  her 
private  property.  They  required  the  production  of 
jewels  that  were  become  the  private  property  of  the 
Queen,  with  the  view  to  compare  them  with  the  in- 
ventory. The  Queen  said  to  the  senator  who  had 
demanded  them,  "  I  shall  not  admit  of  any  inspection, 
nor,  after  such  an  indignity,  will  I  retain  them.  As 
soon  as  they  can  be  separated  from  my  own  gems,  the 
whole  that  I  received  as  a  present  shall  be  returned." 
The  dignified  severity  of  her  looks,  the  firmness  of  her 
tone  and  manner,  made  the  audacious  noble  not  only 
look,    but  feel   humbled.      The    States,   goaded   by    the 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  255 

Senate  to  do  whatever  was  required  of  them,  com- 
plained to  the  King,  not  only  of  Her  Majesty  the 
Queen  having  shown  contempt  towards  the  Senate,  but 
also  towards  the  nation  and  great  officers  of  the  Crown. 
"  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  Queen  came  to 
Sweden  as  the  King's  consort,  and  to  increase  the 
authority  of  the  Crown."  After  stating  several  causes 
of  complaint  alike  puerile  and  malignant,  they  concluded 
their  rude  and  impertinent  address  by  observing  that 
"  the  States  of  Sweden  did  not  wish  for  any  alterations  in 
the  sentiments  of  the  King  towards  the  Queen,  but  that 
the  Queen  should  feel  more  respect  for  the  nation." 

The  King,  who  was  calculated  to  have  excelled  in 
the  practice  of  domestic  virtues,  had  not  sufficient  firm- 
ness to  repel  this  insolence  as  he  ought.  Fearful  of 
giving  rise  to  internal  commotions,  the  mild  and 
benevolent  man  strove  by  humility  and  submission  to 
soothe  the  anger  of  the  oligarchs.  He  descended  to 
make  an  elaborate  apology  for  the  Queen,  imputing 
all  that  was  offensive  to  her  ignorance  of  the  Swedish 
language,  urging,  with  marked  deference  as  to  style  and 
expression,  that  the  jewels  having  remained  ten  years 
in  her  possession  without  any  inspection  having  been 
called  for,  she  considered  the  measure  as  implying 
distrust  of  her  honour,  and  the  more  insulting,  as  the 
diamonds,  having  been  given  to  her  as  a  present,  were 
in  fact  her  private  property. 

The  States,  however,  led  by  the  oligarchy,  persisted. 
The  moderation  displayed  by  the  King  only  encouraged 
the  audacity  of  the  predominant  faction,  and  notwith- 
standing all  the  protestations  of  Adolphus  Frederick,  the 


256  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

insulting    and    humiliating    measure   was    carried    into 
execution. 

One  of  the  remonstrances  presented  from  the  Diet  of 
1756  contained  the  following  singular  expressions,  viz. : 
"  The  States  beseech  Your  Majesty  to  remain  master 
of  the  Court,  and  King  of  Sweden,  and  humbly  pvay  that 
all  further  correspondence  on  this  subject  may  cease." 

The  King  wishing  to  be  allowed  to  appoint  the 
tutors  to  whom  was  to  be  entrusted  the  education  of 
his  children,  had  selected  a  second  governor  for  the 
Crown  Prince — -a  privilege  that  the  States  would  not 
permit  him  to  exercise  ;  the  place  was  declared  to  be 
unnecessary,  the  second  governor  was  dismissed,  and 
this  resolution  was  accompanied  by  an  insulting  letter 
to  the  King.  To  show  the  plenitude  of  their  power  and 
rudeness,  they  transmitted  a  peremptory  order,  couched 
in  the  shape  of  a  humble  request,  to  dismiss  the  gover- 
nor, and  appointed  Count  Scheffer  in  his  place.  Urged 
by  his  Queen,  whose  proud  heart  was  half-broken  by 
these  bitter  humiliations,  the  King  mustered  resolution 
enough  to  protest  against  the  right  of  the  States  to  this 
prerogative  over  his  children  ;  but  so  overwhelming  was 
the  power  of  the  ruling  faction,  that  his  wishes  and  his 
rights,  as  a  parent  or  Sovereign,  were  equally  disre- 
garded. Count  Scheffer  took  possession  of  the  King's 
eldest  son,  soon  after  which  several  other  officers  were 
appointed  to  be  immediately  about  his  person.  This 
was  unquestionably  done  to  inspire  the  young  Prince, 
even  in  his  days  of  childhood,  with  sentiments  of  awe 
and  reverence  toward  the  Order  of  Nobles  and  the 
Senate.      As  to  the   inferior  Orders,  they   were    merely 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  257 

passive  machines,  moved  and  removed  at  the  pleasure 
of  their  superiors. 

Nor  did  the  humiliations  to  which  the  monarch  was 
subjected  by  the  venal  and  rapacious  nobles  end  here. 
To  give  legality  to  resolutions  subversive  of  the  Royal 
authority,  and  made  without  the  consent,  or  even  the 
knowledge  of  the  King,  the  Senate  caused  a  fac-simile 
of  the  sign-manual  to  be  engraved,  which  was  affixed  to 
such  documents  as  they  wished  to  promulgate  unknown 
to  the  King  !  The  nation,  instead  of  finding  its  liberty 
restored  by  the  Charter  of  1720,  saw  itself  the  prey  of 
an  unprincipled  aristocracy,  that  trampled  on  the  just 
prerogatives  of  the  Crown  and  the  rights  of  the  people  ; 
that  levied  taxes,  which  they  caused  to  be  collected  and 
disposed  of  as  they  saw  good,  from  the  burthen  of  which 
their  estates  were  exempted.  Indifferent  to  the  horrors 
of  war  or  the  blessings  of  peace,  they  put  up  for  sale  to 
the  highest  bidder,  in  the  political  market  of  Europe, 
the  resources,  courage  and  influence  of  a  brave  and 
high-spirited  nation. 

Several  opportunities  occurred  that  might,  if  im- 
proved, have  led  to  the  sure  and  sudden  overthrow  of 
the  abhorrent  faction  that  ruled  with  despotic  sway  in 
Sweden.  But  such  was  the  King's  fear  of  exciting  a 
civil  war,  and  thereby  exposing  Sweden  to  utter  sub- 
jugation, that  he  submitted  to  the  degrading  yoke  of  a 
venal  aristocracy,  that  was  alike  fatal  to  the  prerogatives 
of  his  crown  and  the  liberties  and  honour  of  the  people. 
Instead  of  waiting  for  an  opportunity  of  breaking 
asunder  the  fetters  imposed  by  the  oligarchy,  he  pre- 
vol.  1  17 


258  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

ferred    incessant   but    unavailing  efforts  to   render  them 
less  intolerable  and  galling. 

At  the  instigation  of  his  spirited  and  accomplished 
Queen,  the  King  secretly,  if  not  openly,  encouraged 
Counts  Brahe  and  Home,  and  other  noblemen  and 
burghers  attached  to  the  faction  called  the  Hats,  to 
endeavour  to  organise  a  force,  military  and  insurgent, 
competent  to  seize  on  the  capital  and  overthrow  the 
Old  Hats.  It  appeared  by  the  evidence  published  that 
the  domestics  of  the  King,  as  low  as  valets  and  foot- 
men, were  employed  to  excite,  by  their  discourses,  the 
populace  of  Stockholm  to  take  up  arms  against  the 
Hats.  It  was  through  this  channel  the  conspiracy 
was  detected.  The  inferior  agents  were  first  arrested. 
The  chiefs  might  have  escaped,  as  there  was  ample 
time,  and  they  were  admonished  by  the  sorrowing 
Queen  to  lose  no  time  in  avoiding  the  destruction 
that  impended.  By  a  fatal  confidence  in  the  King, 
Counts  Home  and  Brahe  remained,  and  were 
arrested.  It  is  recorded  that  they  were  tortured 
in  the  cruellest  manner  to  force  them  to  accuse  the 
King  and  Queen,  which  they  indignantly  refused. 
The  King  had  the  mortification  to  be  forced  to  ratify 
their  condemnation,  and  sign  their  death-warrant. 
The  Countess  Brahe,  a  high  -  born  and  beautiful 
woman,  far  advanced  in  pregnancy,  prostrating  her- 
self at  the  feet  of  Count  Fersen,  a  leader  of  the 
Hats,  in  vain  implored  the  callous  statesman  for  her 
husband's  life.  He  perished  with  his  friends  on  the 
scaffold.  Of  their  adherents,  some  were  imprisoned 
and    others    exiled ;     and    thus    terminated    the    effort 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  259 

made  to  put  down  the  despotic  sway  of  a  venal  nest 
of  rapacious  peers. 

Instead  of  her  husband,  if  the  Queen  Louisa 
Ulrica  had  swayed  the  sceptre  of  Sweden,  soon  would 
that  great  woman  have  overthrown  the  fell  tyranny 
of  a  detestable  faction,  who  were  strong  only  because 
her  gentle-hearted  husband  was,  comparatively  speak- 
ing, weak.  Her  elevated  soul  was  wrung  with  un- 
utterable anguish  when  she  heard  of  the  sufferings 
endured  by  her  faithful  friends,  without  the  power  to 
rescue  or  even  to  relieve  them.  Disdaining  to  show 
homage  where  her  bosom  was  filled  with  intense  scorn 
and  just  abhorrence,  she  omitted  no  opportunity  of 
displaying,  as  far  as  a  due  regard  to  her  own  dignity 
warranted,  the  contempt  and  aversion  she  cherished 
towards  the  cruel  and  unfeeling  oligarchy,  beneath 
whose  hands  the  best  and  bravest  of  her  friends  had 
perished. 

If  Louisa  Ulrica  had  possessed  a  mind  like  that 
of  Catherine  II.,  ambition  and  a  thirst  of  vengeance 
might  have  led  her  to  have  given  Adolphus  Frederick 
a  premature  passport  to  eternity,  and  have  caused  her- 
self to  be  declared,  during  the  minority  of  her  son, 
administratrix  of  Sweden.  If  she  deplored  the  too 
great  forbearance  that  marked  her  husband's  policy, 
she  honoured  the  goodness  of  his  heart,  knowing  it 
was  not  any  deficiency  of  personal  courage  by  which 
his  conduct  was  regulated,  but  a  conscientious  regard 
to  his  coronation  oath,  and  an  unconquerable  dread 
of  giving  rise  to  a  civil  war.  The  Queen  never 
ceased    to    lament,    whenever    their    memory    occurred 

1 7- -2 


26o  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

to  her,  the  sad  fate  of  her  brave  and  unfortunate 
friends ;  but,  if  ever  she  entertained,  she  soon  dismissed 
all  thoughts  of  vengeance  from  her  bosom.  She  was 
really  virtuous — unaffectedly  religious.  Repressing  as 
far  as  she  could  the  workings  of  indignation  and 
ambition,  she  applied  her  great  and  capacious  mind  to 
the  cultivation  of  literature,  the  fine  arts  and  sciences. 
She  could  not  be  prevented  from  superintending  the 
education  of  her  children.  She  engaged  the  King  in 
numerous  journeys  through  the  different  provinces  of 
Sweden  ;  and  seeking  out  genius  in  obscurity,  trans- 
planted it  to  a  more  genial  soil,  where  its  fine  qualities 
might  freely  expand.  And  many  of  those  deservedly 
great  names  that  have  conferred  more  real  lustre  on 
the  Swedish  nation  than  all  the  heroes  of  the  Gustavian 
line,  owed  all  their  eminence,  next  to  Nature,  to  her 
fostering  hand. 

Acting  upon  a  system  of  economy  that  was  un- 
tainted by  meanness,  with  an  income  inferior  to  many 
private  gentlemen  of  England,  she  expended  it  so  judi- 
ciously that  she  left  behind  her  many  costly  monuments 
that  embellished  Sweden,  reflecting  equal  honour  on 
her  taste  and  judgment.  The  Palace  of  Drottningholm, 
distant  about  seven  English  miles  from  Stockholm, 
was  her  favourite  residence.  That  magnificent  struc- 
ture— which  is  equal  in  extent  and  magnificence  to 
any  Royal  palace  in  Great  Britain — was  enriched  by 
innumerable  additions,  internal  and  external,  derived 
from  her  own  industry,  wealth  and  taste. 

On  a  plan  of  her  own  designing,  for  the  purpose  of 
enjoying   greater   retirement,    she    built   a  tasteful    little 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  26l 

palace  in  the  park  at  Drottningholm,  calling  it  "  China 
Lustslot/'  i.e.,  the  Chinese  Rural  Palace.  Its  architec- 
tural merit  consisted  in  its  resemblance  to  the  country 
palaces  of  the  Emperor  of  China.  It  consisted  of  a 
centre,  and,  on  either  side,  of  two  smaller  pavilions, 
or  corps  du  logis.  Here  her  virtuous  husband  amused 
himself  in  mechanical  pursuits,  such  as  carving,  turnery, 
and  the  less  elegant  toils  of  a  whitesmith ;  and  here 
the  Queen  devoted  her  leisure  hours  to  the  noblest  of 
human  pursuits,  that  of  wisdom  and  science.  Sur- 
rounded by  the  greatest  names  known  in  the  annals  of 
Swedish  science  and  literature,  and  by  domestic  bless- 
ings, in  this,  and  other  enchanting  spots,  this  illustrious 
woman  strove  to  banish  from  her  mind  the  bitter  indig- 
nities that  she  had  endured  as  nominal  Queen  of  Sweden. 
After  the  judicial  murder  of  her  friends,  the  wrongs 
and  insults  to  which  she  was  exposed  were  multiplied. 
Through  the  feelings  of  the  Queen,  the  reigning  factions 
strove  to  wound  the  King.  She  was  accused  of  betray- 
ing State  secrets,  and  carrying  on  a  traitorous  corre- 
spondence with  the  Court  of  Berlin.  Like  the  harpies 
of  the  poets,  the  oligarchs  obtruded  their  baleful  in- 
fluence into  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  palace.  They 
interfered  with  the  King's  table,  that  was  always  dis- 
tinguished by  a  liberal  economy,  and  even  debarred 
the  King  and  Queen  of  appointing  their  domestic 
chaplains,  who,  in  the  Lutheran  Church  of  Sweden 
and  Denmark,  may  be  almost  regarded  as  confessors. 
After  various  changes  of  ministry,  the  Hats  and  Caps 
were  alternately  above  or  below  the  political  horizon, 
but    always    selfish,    corrupt    and    despotic,    and    alike 


262  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

inimical  to  the  just  prerogatives  of  the  Crown  and  the 
liberties  of  the  people.  To  stem  or  escape  the  over- 
whelming flood  of  legislative  and  oligarchical  corrup- 
tion and  despotism,  the  Queen,  aided  by  the  Crown 
Prince,  prevailed  on  Adolphus  Frederick  to  make  one 
bold  and  decisive  effort  to  shake  off  the  degrading  yoke 
that  humbled  the  Crown  and  debased  the  people.  The 
commencement  of  war  between  Russia  and  the  Porte, 
and  the  death  of  Count  Lowenhjelm,  the  inveterate 
opposer  of  French  politics,  favoured  the  views  of  the 
Hats,  and  encouraged  the  cautious  King  to  hazard 
the  proposal  of  abdicating  his  throne.  Pursuant  to  the 
opinion  of  his  secret  advisers,  the  King,  to  the  surprise 
and  vexation  of  the  Senate,  refused  to  sign  a  public 
document  they  had  presented,  and  demanded  the  con- 
vocation of  an  extraordinary  Diet,  as  affording  the  only 
remedy  for  the  disorders  complained  of  by  his  subjects. 
After  refusing  to  sign  this  Act,  the  King,  on  the  12th 
of  December,  1768,  expressed  his  intention  of  abdi- 
cating in  the  following  terms,   viz. : 

"  If,  contrary  to  all  reasonable  expectation,  the 
Senate  should  reject  this  proposal,  I  shall  be  forced  to 
relinquish  the  burthen  of  a  government  rendered  in- 
tolerable by  the  wretchedness  of  the  people,  who  are 
taxed  beyond  their  power  of  compliance.  When  my 
faithful  counsellors  shall  have  assembled  the  States, 
the  reasons  which  have  induced  me  to  abdicate  shall 
be  communicated  to  them.  In  the  meantime,  I 
peremptorily   forbid   the   use    of   my  name    to   any   Act 

of  the  Senate. 

(Signed)          "  Adolf  Frederick." 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  263 

An  answer  to  this  letter,  though  demanded  in  forty- 
eight  hours,  was  not  returned  at  the  end  of  five  days, 
a  decisive  proof  how  greatly  the  senators  were  per- 
plexed. Finding  no  reply  was  likely  to  be  given,  the 
King  went  personally  to  the  Senate.  Pretending  to 
want  time  for  deliberation  concerning  his  demand  of 
convoking  an  extraordinary  Diet,  and  with  respect  to 
His  Majesty's  abdication,  those  conscientious  men  ex- 
pressed their  hope  that  he  would  desist  from  a  measure 
incompatible  with  his  oath  and  the  prosperity  of  the 
nation.  In  reply,  the  King  told  the  usurpers  (for  such 
they  were)  that  their  answer  was  only  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  refusal,  and  thenceforward  he  should 
interfere  no  farther  with  the  measures  of  government. 

It  was  with  great  difficulty,  and  only  by  the  en- 
treaties  of  his    Queen1  and  eldest   son,   that    Adolphus 


1  The  following  letters,  written  by  Queen  Louisa  Ulrica  to 
her  son,  afterwards  Gustavus  III.,  are  highly  honourable  to  her 
character,  and  well  worthy  a  place  in  this  brief  memoir,  viz.  : 

Lettre    I. 

"J'ai  ete  touchee  vivement,  mon  cher  fils,  de  la  sensibilite  que 
voiis  avez  temoignee  a  mon  depart.  Je  ne  vous  cache  point  que 
votre  amitie  m'est  chere,  et  qu'il  y  a  peu  de  meres  qui  puissent 
aimer  plus  tendrement  leurs  enfans  que  je  ne  fais ;  mais,  a  Dieu 
ne  plaise  que  je  vous  aimasse  d'une  amitie  aveugle !  ce  seroit 
vous  trahir,  et  non  pas  vous  aimer.  Je  suis  attentive  a  toutes  vos 
actions,  et  je  n'ai  point  a  me  reprocher  de  lache  complaisance  pour 
vos  defauts  ;  je  me  fiatte  meme,  que  ce  sera,  un  jour,  un  des  liens 
qui  vous  attachera  plus  intimement  a  moi. 

"  Continuez,  mon  cher  fils,  a  etre  exact  a  remplir  tous  vos 
devoirs :  je  mets  au-dessus  de  tout  le  culte  et  la  veneration  que  vous 
devez  a  l'Etre  Supreme.  Souvenez-vous  que  les  vertus  morales 
sont  en  danger  si  elles  ne  sont  soutenues  par  celles  chretiennes,  et  que 
les  ames  elevees  ont  pour  Dieu  des  sentiments  qui  partent  du  cceur, 


264  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

Frederick  could  be  wrought  up  to  the  adoption  of 
that  apparently  resolute  conduct  ;  almost  immediately 
after  which  the  Crown  Prince  went  in  great  state  to 
the  Royal  Chancellory  to  demand,  in  his  father's 
name,  the  fac-simile  of  the  Royal  signature  that  is 
already  mentioned.  His  demand  being  refused,  Gus- 
tavus  went  to  the  other  State  departments,  declaring 
at  each  place  that  his  father  had  abdicated,  and 
delivering  to  each  of  the  members  a  printed  state- 
ment of  His  Majesty's  reasons  for  having  recourse  to 
that  extreme  measure. 


et  qui  leur  donnent  cette  noble  assurance  dans  toutes  les  actions  de 
leur  vie.  Que  la  votre,  mon  cher  fils,  soit  longue  et  que  Dieu  vous 
fasse  la  grace  de  vous  mettre  au  rang  de  ces  princes  qui  servent  de 
modele  aux  siecles  a  venir,  ce  sont,  mon  cher  fils,  mes  voeux  :  ils 
sont  sinceres,  et  vous  assurent  de  la  tendresse  infinie  avec  laquelle  je 
serai  a  jamais 

"  Votre  tendre  mere, 

"  Lou.  Ulrique." 


Letter  I. — Translation. 

"It  was  not  without  great  emotion  that  I  saw  you,  my  dear 
Gustave,  so  sensibly  affected  with  my  departure,  for  I  freely  own  to 
you  that  your  affection  is  extremely  dear  to  me,  and  that  there  are 
few  mothers  who  love  their  children  with  more  tenderness  than 
myself ;  but  God  forbid  that  my  love  for  you  should  ever  make  me 
blind  to  your  faults  ! — this  were  to  betray,  instead  of  loving  you.  I 
am  attentive  to  all  your  actions,  without  having  any  reason  to  re- 
proach myself  with  a  weak  indulgence  for  your  defects  ;  and  I  flatter 
myself  that  this  will  one  day  be  a  means  of  attaching  you  yet  more 
closely  to  me. 

"  Continue,  my  dear  Gustave,  to  be  exact  in  fulfilling  your 
several  duties,  the  principal  of  which  is  the  veneration  and  worship 
due  to  the  Supreme  Being.  Remember  that  moral  virtue  is  in  great 
danger  when  it  is  no  longer  supported  by  Christianity,  and  that  all 
great  minds  have  a  sincere  love  for,  and  confidence  in  their  Creator, 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  265 

The  Senate,  mortified  and  humbled,  sent  a  deputa- 
tion to  the  King,  whom,  to  all  appearance,  they  found 
inflexible — a  line  of  conduct  in  which  he  persevered 
till,  by  a  second  deputation,  the  Senate  consenting  to 
call  the  States  together,  induced  him  to  resume  the 
reins  of  government,  which,  by-the-bye,  he  neither  had, 
nor  seriously  intended  to  resign. 

The  extraordinary  Diet  met  on  the  28th  of  April, 
and  the  Senate  not  daring  to  negotiate  the  treaty 
without  the  participation  of  the  States,  all  the 
measures    of    Russia    and    England    were    disarranged. 

which  gives  them  that  noble  assurance  so  visible  in  every  action  of 
their  lives.  That  your  life  may  be  of  long  duration,  and  that  God 
may  be  graciously  pleased  to  place  you  in  the  rank  of  those  princes 
who  become  a  model  to  future  ages !  —  these  are  my  constant 
prayers;  they  are  sincere,  and,  therefore,  assure  you  of  the  tender 
affection  with  which  I  shall  ever  be, 

"  Your  kind  mother, 

"Lou.   Ulrique." 


Lettre    II. 

"  Je  vous  avois  promis,  mon  cher  fils,  une  plus  longue  lettre  par 
le  courier,  et  je  me  fais  un  plaisir  de  vous  tenir  parole.  Je  n'entrerai 
pas  en  detail  des  beautes  des  provinces,  de  leur  situation,  de  leur 
commerce,  et  de  leurs  manufactures ;  le  sujet  sur  lequel  je  veux 
vous  entretenir  est  infiniment  plus  interessant ;  c'est  des  habitants, 
de  leur  zele,  et  de  l'amour  infini  qu'ils  temoignent  au  roi.  A  quoi 
serviroient  ces  vains  titres  et  ces  grandeurs  s'ils  n'etoient  accom- 
pagnes  de  l'affection  du  peuple.  Le  vrai  bonheur,  mon  cher  fils, 
est  de  pouvoir  faire  celui  des  autres ;  heureux  celui  qui  en  a  le 
pouvoir !  mais  quelque  peu  que  Ton  puisse  en  avoir,  il  doit  toujours 
avoir  cet  objet.  Les  princes  qui  s'eloignent  de  ces  maximes  sont  des 
tirans  que  la  Providence  a  fait  naitre  comme  des  instrumens  de  sa 
vengeance  et  dont  les  noms  ont  l'horreur  du  genre  humain. 

"  Dieu  vous  a  donne,  mon  cher  fils,  des  talens  et  une  ame 
sensible;  gardez  vous  toujours  que   ce  cceur  ne  devienne   la   dupe 


266  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

Thus  the  intrigues  and  the  gold  of  France  again 
began  to  acquire  the  ascendency.  The  King  returning 
to  the  Senate,  assured  that  body  of  his  approbation  of 
their  conduct,  asserted  the  purity  of  his  own  views, 
and  declared  the  welfare  of  the  nation  to  be  his 
only    aim. 

The  conduct   of  the   Hats  on  this  occasion   proved 

de  l'esprit ;  c'est  un  ecueil  qui  a  souvent  terni  les  plus  belles 
vies  ;  que  la  votre  aie  la  piete  pour  guide  !  c'est  le  plus  sur  remede 
contre  tous  les  egaremens. 

"Continuez,  mon  cher  fils,  a  vous  faire  une  etude  de  la  vertu. 
Vous  voulez  savoir  quel  en  sera  le  succes  ?  II  sera  proportionne  a 
vos  efforts.  Pourquoi  balancer  ?  On  n'est  point  sage  par  hazard. 
Les  biens,  les  honneurs,  les  dignites  peuvent  aller  au  devant  de  vous ; 
mais  la  vertu  ne  nous  previendra  jamais ;  elle  ne  s'obtient  que  par 
le  travail  et  par  un  travail  continu  ;  mais  ce  travail  doit-il  vous 
rebuter  des  qu'il  vous  procure  la  possession  de  tous  les  biens  ? 
N'esperez  done  jamais  pouvoir  allier  la  volupte  avec  la  gloire,  la 
mollesse  avec  la  recompense  de  la  vertu. 

"  C'est  peut-etre  trop  de  morale  pour  une  lettre.  Je  vais  finir 
celle-ci  en  vous  communiquant  mon  contentement  sur  les  votres. 
Votre  sincerite  repare  en  partie  la  faute  que  vous  avez  commise. 
Celui  qui  se  resigne  est  a  moitie  corrige ;  faites  en  sorte,  mon 
cher  fils,  que  vous  n'ayez  plus  de  pareilles  confidences  a  me  faire. 
Donnez-moi,  par  votre  conduite,  des  preuves  convaincantes  de  votre 
amitie.  Soyez  assure  de  la  mienne,  qui  ne  finira  qu'avec  la  vie, 
etant  a  jamais 

"  Votre  tendre  et  bonne  mere, 

"L.   U.." 


Letter  II. — Translation. 
"  I  promised  you,  my  dear  Gustave,  a  long  letter  by  the  courier, 
and  I  have  a  pleasure  in  keeping  my  word.  I  shall  not  be  particular 
in  describing  the  beauties  of  these  provinces,  their  situation,  com- 
merce and  manufactures.  I  will  rather  tell  you  of  the  inhabitants, 
their  zeal  and  affection  for  the  King,  which  is  a  subject  infinitely 
more  interesting.  Of  what  use  were  all  these  vain  titles  and 
grandeur,  if  not  accompanied   by  the  people's  love?     They  would 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  267 

how  great  was  their  reliance,  in  the  ensuing  Diet, 
upon  the  support  of  France.  Various  expedients 
were  adopted  with  a  view  to  support  that  part)-, 
and  a  considerable  subscription  was  raised  in  favour 
of  the  French  faction  by  the  principal  merchants  of 
Sweden. 

By   these   energetic    measures,    and  the   quantity   of 


be  troublesome  burdens  and  crowns  of  thorns.  True  felicity,  my 
dear  Gustave,  consists  in  the  power  of  making  others  happy : 
fortunate  is  the  man  who  is  endowed  with  this  power !  but  be 
our  share  of  it  ever  so  small,  this  ought  always  to  be  its  principal 
object.  Those  Princes  who  depart  from  these  maxims  are  tyrants 
whom  Providence  created  to  be  the  instruments  of  its  vengeance, 
and  whose  names  are  the  horror  of  mankind. 

"  God  hath  given  you  talents,  and  a  heart  not  without  sensi- 
bility ;  be  careful  lest  it  become  a  dupe  to  your  understanding;  it 
is  a  rock  on  which  many  a  sensible  man  hath  split.  Choose  piety 
for  your  pilot,  and  you  need  not  fear  that  you  will  err  in  your 
course. 

"Continue,  my  dear  Gustave,  to  make  virtue  your  chief  study. 
Would  you  know  your  success  beforehand  ?  It  will  be  proportioned 
to  your  efforts.  Why  should  we  balance  a  moment  ?  We  shall 
never  grow  good  by  chance.  Wealth,  honours,  dignities,  may 
come  of  their  own  accord  ;  but  virtue  must  be  eagerly  pursued. 
She  is  not  to  be  obtained  without  continued  labour :  but  ought 
this  labour  to  affright  us,  when  we  know  that  it  will  procure  us 
all  that  is  desirable  ?  You  must  never  hope  to  unite  sensuality 
with  glory,  nor  indolence  with  the  reward  of  virtue. 

"This  is,  perhaps,  too  much  morality  for  a  letter.  I  shall 
finish  this  in  telling  you  with  how  much  satisfaction  I  received 
yours ;  your  sincerity  is  some  reparation  of  the  fault  you  have 
committed.  He  who  acknowledges  his  guilt  is  not  far  from 
amendment.  Behave,  my  dear  Gustave,  so  as  not  to  have  any  more 
such  secrets  to  entrust  me  with.  Let  your  future  conduct  con- 
vince me  of  your  affection.  You  may  be  assured  that  mine  for 
you  will  never  cease  but  with  my  lite,  being  ever  your  tender 
and   affectionate   mother, 

"L.  U." 


268  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

money  distributed  by  the  French  minister,  the  Hats 
obtained  important  electioneering  advantages  over  the 
Caps.  In  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  Russia,  England 
and  Denmark,  General  Count  Ferson  was  elected 
Marshal  of  the  Diet,  and  of  the  secret  committee, 
all  the  individuals  composing  which  were  devoted  to 
his  will.  It  was  fortunate  for  the  Caps  that  the 
Hats  were  split  into  two  parties  :  of  these,  the  Court 
or  Royal  party,  like  the  ultra  Royalists  of  France  in 
1815,  were  for  rendering  the  Crown  absolute;  the 
other  party,  called  the  "  Old  Hats,"  had  no  other 
view  than  to  supplant  their  antagonists  and  gain 
possession  of  the  loaves  and  fishes  of  Sweden,  without 
doing  anything  in  favour  either  of  the  Crown  or  the 
people. 

The  first  act  of  the  secret  committee  was  the 
dismission  of  the  senators  who  had  been  appointed 
under  the  influence  of  Russia  and  England  ;  but  still, 
all  that  could  be  obtained  of  this  Diet  by  the  French 
Court,  which  had  lavished  such  large  sums  to  obtain 
its  appointment  and  favour,  was  a  declaration  dictated 
by  that  anti-Britannic  spirit  which  appears  so  powerfully 
to  animate  Sweden  and  most  of  the  Continental  nations 
of  Europe  at  the  present  hour.  Its  tenour  was  as 
follows,  viz.,  "That  the  English  only  aimed  at  the 
empire  of  the  sea  and  the  extension  of  their  commerce, 
which  they  were  desirous  of  acquiring  at  the  expense 
of  other  nations ;  that  Sweden,  therefore,  could  not 
consider  England  as  her  friend,  and  though  it  was  the 
interest  of  Sweden  to  be  upon  good  terms  with  the 
neighbouring    Powers,    she    could    not    enter    into    any 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  269 

alliance  with  them  ;  that  Sweden  reckoned  France  and 
the  Porte  as  her  natural  allies,  and  also  Spain  and 
Austria  as  the  friends  of  France." 

The  plan,  between  one  Diet  and  another,  of  giving 
to  the  King  and  the  Senate  the  power  of  forming 
alliances  and  declaring  war,  was  successfully  resisted 
by  Colonel  (afterwards  General)  Baron  Pechlin,  a  man 
of  great  ability  and  integrity,  at  the  head  of  the  party 
called  the  "  Old  Hats."  If  it  had  succeeded,  all  the 
military  resources  of  Sweden  would  have  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  French  minister,  who  would  have 
immediately  plunged  Sweden  into  a  war  with  Russia. 

The  plan  which  France  had  formed  to  overturn  the 
Swedish  Government,  and  kindle  a  Northern  war  in 
Europe,  thus  completely  failed.  The  expensive  ex- 
pedient of  employing  the  States  to  effect  this  purpose 
was  found  to  be  useless,  and  no  other  and  more  effectual 
means  could  be  devised.  The  daring  and  enterprising 
spirit  that  marked  the  character  of  the  Swedes,  and 
rendered  a  revolution,  if  attempted  by  a  bold  and 
sudden  stroke,  by  no  means  improbable,  was  counter- 
acted by  the  mild  and  pacific  character  of  the  King, 
of  whom  it  was  said,  that  he  could  never  be  brought 
into  any  measure  by  which  the  safety  or  interest  of  his 
family  were  likely  to  be  involved  in  danger.  The  love 
of  tranquillity  seemed  to  increase  with  his  years ;  his 
wise  and  virtuous  Queen,  shocked  at  the  blood  that 
had  been  shed  during  her  husband's  reign  by  each  of 
the  gladiatorial  factions,  refrained  from  urging  him  to 
any  further  efforts.  She  rested  her  hopes  on  the 
abilities  and  courage  of  her  sons,  particularly  the  Crown 


27O  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

Prince.  At  the  express  request  of  the  Duke  de 
Choiseul,  he  had  been  invited  to  Paris,  a  circumstance 
that  revived  the  hopes  of  the  Court  party,  who  confi- 
dently expected  that  it  would  lead  to  some  effectual 
step  for  the  establishment  of  the  Royal  authority,  and 
the  overthrow  of  the  two  factions  who  alternately  ruled 
the  dominions  of  Sweden.  Such  was  the  state  of  that 
agitated  kingdom  when  the  death  of  the  King,  on  the 
13th  of  February,  1771,  suddenly  changed  the  face  of 
affairs. 

The  character  of  this  monarch  is  so  fully  developed 
in  the  preceding  pages  that  there  is  nothing  to  add, 
except  the  observation  that,  as  he  was  never  suffered  to 
reign,  there  are  no  grounds  whereon  to  rest  his  public 
character.  During  the  whole  of  his  nominal  sove- 
reignty, Sweden  was  governed  by  conflicting  factions, 
who  waged  war  and  negotiated  peace,  not  as  the 
safety  or  interest  of  Sweden  required,  but  as  those 
Powers  commanded  whose  gold  had  paid  for  their 
venal  suffrages.  Yet,  during  the  reigns  of  Frederick  I. 
and  Adolphus  Frederick,  these  very  abuses  gave  a 
strong  impulse  to  the  factious  nobles  to  cultivate  their 
intellectual  power,  in  hope,  by  their  talents  and  elo- 
quence, to  obtain  a  share  in  the  division  of  the  power, 
profit  and  patronage  that  had  been  wrested  from  the 
Crown  at  the  death  of  Charles  XII.  During  this  half- 
century,  Sweden  produced  many  great  orators  and  dis- 
tinguished statesmen,  but  they  were  bound  in  the 
fetters  of  party.  Seldom  were  they  permitted,  if  they 
even  were  inclined,  to  render  any  important  service 
to    their    plundered    and    insulted    country.       For    the 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  271 

space  of  half  a  century,  under  a  nominal  monarchy, 
Sweden  was  in  fact  an  oligarchy.  The  Senate  and 
the  Order  of  Nobles  during  that  period  exercised  all 
the  essentials  of  monarchy  ;  hence  it  would  be  a  work 
of  supererogation  to  give  the  characters  of  kings  who 
never  exercised  the  sovereign  power.  In  the  succeed- 
ing reign,  the  tables  were  turned  upon  the  oligarchs. 
The  whole  kingdom  groaned  under  their  tyranny  and 
abhorred  their  venality.  The  blood  that  had  been 
reciprocally  shed  by  those  fierce,  venal,  conflicting 
factions,  and  the  general  detestation  in  which  both 
parties  were  held,  kept  back  the  people  from  ranging 
themselves  round  the  banners  of  either.  Under  the 
withering  influence  of  their  intriguing  chiefs  it  was  in 
vain  to  hope  for  anything  beyond  a  change  of  masters. 
Thence,  the  Prince  who  succeeded  his  father  on  the 
throne,  like  Frederick  III.  of  Denmark,  had  little 
more  to  do  than  to  follow  the  impulse  of  popular 
indignation,  which,  operating  in  the  same  pernicious 
way  as  in  Denmark,  rendered  the  people  more  ardent 
in  their  wishes  to  see  the  foul  and  accursed  oligarchy 
broken  up,  and  driven  far  from  the  throne  of  Sweden, 
than  to  make  terms  with  the  monarch  advantageous 
to  her  freedom,  and  equally  fatal  to  the  vile  factions 
which  had  so  long  and  so  successfully  preyed  on  the 
vitals  of  their  country. 

Louisa  Ulrica,  now  Queen-Dowager  of  Sweden, 
sustained  a  heavy  affliction  in  the  death  of  her  mild 
and  benevolent  husband.  The  early  promise  of  excel- 
lence displayed  in  the  wonderful  capacity  of  her  eldest 
son    was    blasted    as    he    approached    to    manhood    by 


2J2  THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY 

the  deep  dissimulation  of  his  mind  and  the  propensities 
to  which  he  was  addicted.  Her  second  son,  Charles 
(who  yet  fills  the  throne  of  Sweden),  gave  himself 
implicitly  up  to  the  views  of  Gustavus.  Her  third  son, 
who  died  at  Montpelier,  showed  her  more  deference 
than  either  Gustavus  or  Charles  ;  his  capacity  was, 
however,  less  brilliant.  Her  daughter,  Sophia  Alber- 
tina,  was  possessed  of  a  great  share  of  personal 
virtue,  a  capacity  as  vast  and  varied  as  her  splendid 
brother,  and  unsullied  by  his  vices.  The  period  had 
now  arrived  when  this  illustrious  woman  hoped  to 
see  avenged  the  wrongs  and  indignities  she  had  for 
nearly  thirty  years  sustained  from  the  oligarchy  that 
usurped  all  the  prerogatives  of  the  Crown  ;  but  the 
vices  with  which  she  knew  Gustavus  to  be  deeply 
fraught  forbade  the  hope  of  ever  seeing  him  deserve 
the  title  of  a  patriot  King.  She  never  doubted  that 
his  mind  was  adequate  to  any  enterprise,  but  with 
real  sorrow  she  anticipated  that  he  would  rear  mon- 
archical despotism  on  the  ruin  of  the  two  conflicting 
factions.  Her  mild  and  benevolent  views  aimed  at 
the  adoption  of  a  constitutional  form  of  government, 
that  should  leave  the  people  nothing  to  wish  for  by 
any  future  change.  Absorbed  in  secret  grief,  she 
took  no  steps  whatever  of  a  political  nature ;  and  the 
absence  of  Gustavus,  her  eldest  son,  and  of  Frederick, 
the  youngest  (Duke  of  Ostra-Gothland),  who  were  then 
in  Paris,  afforded  the  reigning  faction,  as  they  weakly 
supposed,  the  most  favourable  opportunity  of  confirming 
the  durability  of  their  usurped  authority,  and  riveting 
indissolubly  their  vile  shackles  on  the  King  and  people. 


THE     SWEDISH     OLIGARCHY  273 

Perhaps  the  profound  dissimulation  which,  beyond 
any  other  quality,  marked  the  character  of  Gustavus, 
was  owing  to  the  necessity  his  father  and  mother 
had  been  under  of  speaking  on  affairs  of  State  with 
the  utmost  reserve,  and  having  one  set  of  opinions 
for  the  Senate  and  ministers  of  the  Crown  and 
another  for  their  confidential  friends.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  in  native  talents  and  acquirements,  in  presence 
of  mind  and  undaunted  courage,  Gustavus  equalled 
the  most  accomplished  men  in  Sweden  ;  but,  in 
hypocrisy  he  had  no  equal ;  he  towered  above  them 
all,  as  the  flight  of  the  imperial  eagle  stretches  into 
regions  beyond  the  reach  of  birds  of  humbler  wing. 
His  associates  were  young,  gay,  dissipated  courtiers, 
alike  free  from  private  morals  or  public  principles — his 
ready  tools  and  obsequious  instruments. 


GUSTAVUS    III. 


CHAPTER    XI 

Sophia  Magdalena,  consort  to  Gustavus  III. — -Auspicious  com- 
mencement of  his  reign — His  secrecy  and  self-command — 
Profound  dissimulation — The  Diet  of  1771 — Further  proofs 
of  deep  hypocrisy — Outwits  the  Senate — Overthrows  the 
oligarchy  in  1772 — His  gross  impiety  on  that  occasion — 
Anecdote  of  Count  Ugglas — Gustavus  lives  apart  from  his 
Queen — The  Duchess  of  Sodermanland — A  Royal  expedient 
— Increased  splendour  of  the  Court — Gustavus  encourages 
trade  and  manufactures — Becomes  a  monopolist  of  brandy 
distilleries  —  General  discontent — Insurrections — Failure  of 
his  commercial  speculations. 

This  extraordinary  monarch  was  twenty-five  years 
of  age  at  the  death  of  his  father,  Adolphus  Frederick. 
Gustavus  III.  was  born  on  the  24th  of  January,  1746. 
He  was  married  in  his  twentieth  year  to  Sophia 
Magdalena,  Crown  Princess  of  Denmark.  His  lovely 
young  bride  was  sister  to  Christian  VII.,  and  daughter 
of  Frederick  V.,  by  Louisa,  daughter  of  George  II. 
and  Queen  Caroline.  The  handsome  and  accomplished 
young  couple  were  married  in  the  beginning  of  No- 
vember,    1766  —  the    two    disastrous    matches,  namely, 


GUSTAVUS     III.  275 

that  of  Christian  with  Caroline  Matilda,  and  Gustavus 
with  Sophia  Magdalena,  taking  place  at  the  same  time. 

Seldom  had  a  Prince  so  fair  an  opportunity  of 
serving  his  native  land  and  of  becoming  the  idol  of  a 
grateful  people.  And  never  was  there  a  monarch  more 
liberally  gifted  by  Nature  or  embellished  by  education. 
The  path  to  imperishable  glory  lay  wide  before  him. 
Everything  conspired  to  court  his  steps.  But,  alas ! 
dissolute  company  and  perverted  habits  had  deeply 
polluted  his  mind  long  ere  the  sceptre  passed  into  his 
hand. 

Although  to  remove  far  away  from  his  ill-fated 
consort — whom  he  hated  because  he  had  injured — 
might,  as  was  alleged  by  Gustavus  himself  to  one  of 
the  senators,  have  had  its  influence  in  determining  him 
to  go  on  his  travels,  the  grand  object  was  to  procure  aid 
from  the  French  Court  whereby  to  enable  him  to  over- 
turn the  oligarchy.  With  these  negotiations  he  was 
far  advanced  at  the  beginning  of  1 771 . 

Gustavus  was  much  too  sagacious,  however  immoral, 
to  believe  that  such  polluted  beings  as  those  who  were 
his  minions  could  be  safely  depended  upon.  When, 
therefore,  the  news  of  his  father's  death  arrived,  he 
carefully  shut  up  his  real  views  in  the  recesses  of  his 
own  mind,  and  appeared  to  his  profligate  companions 
perfectly  contented  with  the  nominal  authority  that 
devolved  upon  him.  And  when  one  of  those  sycophants 
hinted  at  the  pleasure  he  should  feel  in  seeing  the  oli- 
garchy laid  low  and  the  power  of  the  Crown  exalted, 
Gustavus,  assuming  an  imperious  frown,  sternly  forbade 
such    discourse   in   future,    telling   the   parasite  that    he 

18—2 


276  GUSTAVUS     III. 

looked  on  the  senators  as  his  best  friends  and  safest 
counsellors,  and,  without  a  blush,  accusing  his  illustrious 
mother  of  being  the  turbulent  instigator  of  all  the  mis- 
fortunes and  dissensions  that  had  occurred  during  his 
father's  reign. 

At  this  period  the  Court  of  Versailles  was  at  its 
meridian  splendour ;  its  voluptuousness  and  corruption 
were  at  its  height,  and  ripe  for  the  punishment  that 
awaited  its  deep  iniquity. 

Calculated  to  shine  in  any  station  and  to  excel  in 
every  pursuit,  it  is  no  wonder  that  Gustavus  succeeded 
in  obtaining  more  favourable  conditions  than  any  other 
negotiator  could  have  effected.  He  obtained  6,000,000 
livres — one-fourth  of  which  was  to  be  paid  immediately, 
and  the  remainder  in  three  successive  yearly  payments. 
The  final  arrangement  of  this  affair  kept  Gustavus  some 
months  in  Paris.  The  fact  is,  he  wanted  to  secure  this 
money  to  aid  the  blow  he  meditated  against  the  oli- 
garchy. The  ambassador  at  Paris  was  a  member  of 
the  Senate.  Gustavus  had,  therefore,  a  delicate  and  a 
difficult  task  to  perform ;  but  arduous  indeed  must  have 
been  that  labour,  the  difficulties  of  which  he  could  not 
have  surmounted. 

It  is  dubious  if  Gustavus  even  entrusted  his  brother 
Frederick  with  his  views.  It  is  already  shown  in  how 
decisive  a  tone  he  curbed  the  loquacity  of  one  of  his 
courtiers.  Nor  was  it  in  trifles  only  that  the  young 
King  sought  to  blind  and  mislead  his  powerful  and 
wily  antagonists.  He  received  their  counterfeit  preten- 
sions of  loyalty  as  sterling,  and  he  repaid  them  with 
their  own  base  coin — nay,   he  even  went   beyond  them 


GUSTAVUS     III.  277 

in  expressions  of  attachment  and  devotion.  In  reply 
to  their  notification  of  his  accession  to  the  throne,  he 
transmitted  to  the  mistrustful  oligarchs  the  most  elo- 
quent and  fervent  protestations  of  his  entire  satisfaction 
with  the  existing  order  of  things.  He  assured  that 
Senate,  whose  speedy  humiliation  he  contemplated,  and 
under  whose  tyranny  he  writhed,  of  his  entire  devotion 
to  their  counsels,  and  that  with  his  heart's  blood 
would  he  defend  "the  purity  of  their  doctrines,  and  the 
existence  of  their  political  power!"  He  expressed  his 
abhorrence  of  all  violence,  and  in  the  least  equivocal 
terms  that  language  could  supply;  and  upon  his  word 
of  honour,  as  a  King  and  a  gentleman,  he  declared  his 
firm  determination  faithfully  to  fulfil  whatever  the  ex- 
isting law  prescribed,  and  to  act  conformably  to  the 
form  of  regency  of  the  year  1720,  to  which  he  had 
already  sworn  !  To  leave  the  less  reason  to  doubt  the 
sincerity  of  his  intentions,  Gustavus  declared  he  should 
consider  and  treat  as  traitors  to  their  country,  and 
personal  enemies  to  himself,  those  who,  secretly  or 
openly,  or  in  any  manner,  should  seek  to  establish  an 
arbitrary  government  in  Sweden.  This  masterpiece  of 
Royal  eloquence  and  dissimulation  he  concluded  with 
the  solemn  invocation,  attesting  his  sincerity,  "  May 
God  so  help  me  !  " 

Whilst  vast  and  important  designs  filled  his  mind, 
Gustavus  apparently  gave  himself  up  to  his  licentious 
companions  and  polluted  pursuits.  He  attended  the 
select  parties  of  the  beautiful  and  meretricious  females 
of  the  Gallic  Court.  With  those  he  did  not  long 
remain  a  favourite,  for  it  could  not  be  concealed  that 


278  GUSTAVUS    III. 

* 

this  Prince  did  not  pay  homage  at  the  shrine  of  Venus. 
During  his  abode  in  Paris,  Gustavus  employed  him- 
self in  obtaining,  whether  from  the  Treasury  of  France 
or  the  Porte,  the  largest  possible  subsidy,  as  well  as 
in  endeavours  to  secure  the  firm  support  of  France 
in  the  revolution  he  contemplated.  Matters  being  at 
last  satisfactorily  arranged,  Gustavus  quitted  Paris  on 
his  return  to  assume  the  vacant  throne  of  Sweden. 
As  he  passed  through  Berlin,  he  spent  a  few  days  with 
the  King,  his  maternal  uncle.  Without  assuming  any 
appearance  of  secrecy  or  mystery,  he  found  means  to 
see  his  uncle  once  alone,  and  that  unknown  to  his 
attendants. 

Gustavus  was  received  in  Stockholm  with  acclama- 
tions of  joy  ;  when  he  met  the  Senate,  his  manner  was 
respectful  and  conciliating.  He  repeated  verbally  the 
professions  he  had  transmitted  from  Paris.  He  paid  a 
visit  of  condolence  to  the  Queen-Dowager,  his  mother, 
but  seemed  desirous  of  avoiding  any  particular  con- 
ference. His  young  and  neglected  spouse  he  scarcely 
deigned  to  notice,  and  that  interesting  Princess,  loaded 
with  the  trappings  of  Royalty,  was  one  of  the  least 
happy  women  in  Sweden.  It  was  in  vain  Louisa 
Ulrica  sought  interviews  with  her  son.  He  was  seldom 
to  be  seen  except  in  company  with  Armfeldt,  or  some 
other  of  his  vile  associates,  whose  presence  was  intoler- 
able to  this  high-minded  woman.  Amidst  all  his  af- 
fected gaiety  and  dissipation,  his  mother  saw  the  drift 
of  his  actions  ;  and  if  entreaties,  tears,  and  the  most 
solemn  admonitions  could  have  reformed  his  habits 
and    turned    his    thoughts,    he    would    have    been    the 


GUSTAVUS     III.  279 

saviour  of  his  country  by  giving  it  liberty.  Wearied 
by  her  remonstrances,  the  haughty  Prince  forbade  her 
visits,  which  treatment,  as  the  politic  Prince  perhaps 
foresaw,  tended  to  confirm  the  oligarchs  in  the  belief 
that  their  criminal  plot  had  succeeded,  and  that  Gus- 
tavus,  being  entangled  in  the  evil  courses  to  which  he 
was  first  allured  by  their  secret  agents,  was  no  longer 
to  be  dreaded.  Probably  the  rude  treatment  his 
mother  experienced  was  inflicted  from  a  wish  to  pro- 
duce this  very  impression. 

Master  of  himself,  and  the  sole  keeper  of  his  secrets, 
Gustavus  shunned  all  private  conferences  with  the 
chiefs  of  the  Court  faction.1  He  appeared  to  prefer 
the  company  of  the  reigning  oligarchs.  Meantime,  he 
omitted  no  opportunity  of  acquiring  the  affection  of 
the  populace.  Three  days  in  the  week  he  set  apart  to 
give  audiences  to  the  people.  He  listened  with  well- 
dissembled  earnestness  to  their  details.  He  not  only 
redressed  those  grievances  that  lay  within  his  reach, 
but  he  relieved  the  wants  of  some,  whilst  to  all  he 
was  courteous  and  condescending  in  the  extreme,  and 
thus  he  became  the  idol  of  the  multitude. 

In  May,  1771,  a  Diet  was  assembled  at  Stockholm, 
in  which,  contrary  to  expectation,  the  Caps  were  found 
to  have  secured  the  ascendency.  Neither  surprised 
nor  dismayed  by  this  unexpected  circumstance,  the 
young   King,   on    the    25th    of  June,   at  the  opening  of 

1  Sir  John  Carr,  in  his  "Northern  Summer,"  page  153,  very 
gravely  tells  his  readers  that  Gustavus  planned  the  Revolution  of 
1772  "in  the  recesses  of  the  rocks  at  Haga !  "  Surely  someone 
imposed  on  his  credulity  ! 


28o  GUSTAVUS     III. 

the  Diet,  made  a  speech  that  was  so  modelled  that, 
whilst  it  covered  his  own  views,  it  pleased  the  con- 
tending factions.  In  the  course  of  his  harangue, 
Gustavus  said:  "Born  and  educated  amongst  you, 
from  my  earliest  infancy  I  have  been  taught  to  love 
my  country.  It  is  my  greatest  happiness  that  I  am 
a  Swede,  my  greatest  glory  to  be  a  citizen  of  a  free 
country.  To  behold  it  happy  is  the  first  object  of 
my  wishes.  To  govern  it,  in  a  state  of  freedom 
and  independence,  is  the  last  object  of  my  ambition." 
He  concluded  a  speech  transcendently  eloquent  and 
most  gracefully  pronounced,  with  the  following  well- 
chosen  phrases:  "Do  not,  I  conjure  you,  consider 
these  as  empty  professions,  falsified,  perhaps,  by  the 
secret  emotions  of  my  heart  ;  but  receive  them  as  the 
faithful  expression  of  what  that  heart  feels,  which  is 
too  honest  not  to  be  sincere,  and  too  haughty  ever 
to  prove  false  to  its  engagements." 

This  artful  speech,  which  abounded  in  general 
maxims  of  the  most  noble  kind,  appeared  to  give 
complete  satisfaction  to  both  parties.  A  grand  depu- 
tation was  appointed  the  next  day  to  return  him  the 
thanks   of  the  Diet,  and  it  was  ordered  to  be  printed. 

Although  the  King  kept  aloof  in  the  way  de- 
scribed, the  Court  party  made  every  possible  effort 
to  obtain  some  concessions  ;  but  they  found  the  Caps 
too  vigilant  to  be  deceived  and  too  strong  to  be  sub- 
dued. One  great  object  with  them  was  to  procure 
a  relaxation  of  some  of  the  points  introduced  by  the 
Charter  of  1720  into  the  coronation  oath,  that  re- 
stricted  the    power    of    the    Crown    within    such    very 


GUSTAVUS     III.  281 

narrow  limits.  The  discussions  which  resulted  pre- 
vented the  coronation  from  taking  place  that  year. 
Such  was  the  coolness  of  the  King's  conduct,  that 
he  appeared  to  feel  little,  if  any,  interest  in  these 
matters,  apparently  regarding  them  as  mere  party 
questions. 

The  coronation  of  Gustavus  III.  was  performed 
on  the  22nd  of  May,  1772,  with  an  uncommon  degree 
of  pomp  and  magnificence  ;  and  he  took  the  oath  pre- 
scribed without  faltering,  although  fully  determined 
not  to  observe  it !  When  the  different  Orders  of  State 
came  to  take  the  oaths  of  fidelity  and  to  pay  him 
homage,  Gustavus  then  said,  "Assured  of  your  affec- 
tions, and  sincerely  resolved  to  merit  that  blessing, 
and  to  establish  my  throne  on  your  love  and  happi- 
ness, the  public  engagements  into  which  you  are 
about  to  enter  would,  in  my  opinion,  be  superfluous, 
if  it  were  not,  by  the  ancient  laws  and  customs  of 
Sweden,  required  at  your  hands.  Unhappy  is  the 
king  who  stands  in  need  of  the  bond  of  oaths  to 
secure  himself  on  the  throne,  and  who,  not  assured 
of  the  hearts  of  his  subjects,  is  constrained  to  reign 
only  by  the  force  of  laws,  when  the  love  of  his  sub- 
jects is  denied  him." 

Notwithstanding  these  fine  speeches,  the  Caps  were 
still  suspicious  of  Gustavus,  whose  secret  vices  they 
well  knew,  but  the  vastness  of  whose  genius  they 
were  yet,  by  one  terrible  lesson,  to  learn.  It  was  a 
conflict  between  professed  deceivers,  and  the  King 
won  the  prize.  At  the  very  instant  that  he  ex- 
pressed    to     the     different     Orders    of    the     State    his 


282  GUSTAVUS     III. 

determination  to  maintain  the  existing  state  of  things, 
he  had  secretly  written  and  finished  the  new  constitution  that 
was  to  abrogate  the  existing  oligarchy,  and  establish, 
under  the  mask  of  a  free  government,  an  hereditary 
despotism  in  Sweden. 

With  his  youthful  Queen,  the  King  no  longer  kept 
up  even  the  appearance  of  affection  or  regard ;  his 
mother  he  saw  but  seldom  ;  his  brothers  he  sent 
away  from  Stockholm — Prince  Charles  to  Scania,  and 
Frederick  to  East  Gothland :  his  motives  for  this  are 
only  to  be  conjectured.  He  might  have  been  animated 
by  a  wish,  at  such  a  crisis,  not  to  have  the  whole  family 
cooped  up  within  the  metropolis  ;  he  might  have  been 
fearful  even  of  their  fidelity,  for  it  is  clear,  from  the 
profound  depths  of  his  own  hypocrisy,  he  could  have 
no  belief  that  any  such  things  as  honesty  and  sin- 
cerity existed  in  the  human  breast  ;  again,  the  desire 
to  derive  support  from  their  military  talents,  and  in- 
fluence on  the  minds  of  the  soldiery,  might  stimulate 
him  to  send  them  into  those  provinces  at  this  critical 
period.1 

In  accomplishing  the  Revolution  of  1772,  Gustavus 
displayed  qualities  that  amazed  and  confounded  the 
hated    and   degraded   oligarchs.     The   most  insulting  of 


1  The  limits  assigned  to  this  memoir  exclude  a  detailed  rela- 
tion of  the  Revolution  of  1772.  The  reader  is,  therefore,  referred 
to  "A  History  of  the  late  Revolution  in  Sweden,"  by  Francis 
Sheridan,  Esq.;  to  the  "Travels  in  Poland,  Russia  and  Sweden," 
by  William  Coxe,  A.M.,  &c. ;  and  more  particularly  to  the 
account  contained  in  a  work  published  in  London  about  1790, 
by  Harlowe,  St.  James's  Street,  entitled,  "Characters  and  Anec- 
dotes of  the  Court  of  Sweden,"  vol.  i.,  p.   195,  &c. 


GUSTAVUS     III.  283 

all  his  acts  was  his  requiring  the  fallen  nobles,  sur- 
rounded by  hostile  bayonets  and  loaded  cannon,  to 
join  him  in  singing  psalms  to  praise  God  for  the  revo- 
lution that  had  been  accomplished,  and  by  which  their 
own  political  ruin  was  effected.  It  combined  the  most 
perfect  cruelty  with  the  worst  species  of  impiety,  and 
dishonoured  the  profligate  King  infinitely  more  than  it 
disgraced  those  whom  it  was  intended  to  insult  and 
mortify. 

From  the  moment  that  this  devouring  oligarchy 
was  destroyed,  a  new  race  of  men  appeared  at  the 
Court  of  Sweden.  The  bold  and  haughty  senators, 
each  of  whom  thought  himself  on  a  level  with  his 
Sovereign,  degraded  and  dispersed,  humbled  and  sub- 
dued, sullenly  retired,  overwhelmed  with  grief,  shame 
and  dismay,  carrying  with  them  to  their  estates  the 
scorn  and  reproaches  of  their  country,  and  in  their 
place  appeared  a  set  of  voluptuous  and  depraved 
parasites,  such  as  might  be  expected  to  abound  in 
an  Asiatic  Court,  and  such  as  Sweden  never  knew 
till  Gustavus  displayed  them  in  his  train  and  invested 
them  with  high  commands.  Except  that  many  of  them 
were  of  humble  origin,  they  might  not  inaptly  be  com- 
pared to  the  ultra  Royalists  of  the  present  day  in  France. 
With  them  the  King  was  the  source  of  all  honour  and  of 
power ;  he  was  the  representative  of  God  on  earth ; 
and,  like  God,  in  their  corrupted  creed,  he  had  a  right 
to  dispose  at  pleasure  of  his  creatures  !  At  the  head 
of  these  base  minions  were  Armfeldt  and  other  dissolute 
nobles,  whose  vices  were  at  once  a  stain  to  manhood 
and  a  scourge  to  their  country. 


284  GUSTAVUS     III. 

The  celebrated  Count  Ugglas — the  secret  and  un- 
constitutional adviser  of  Gustavus  IV.,  Adolphus — 
owed  the  foundation  of  his  future  greatness  to  this 
Revolution ;  for  just  as  it  was  completed,  the  trium- 
phant King,  flushed  with  victory  over  a  venal,  detested 
aristocracy,  walked  into  his  Chancellory  in  the  Royal 
Palace.  Delighted  with  the  occurrence,  this  Ugglas, 
then  a  young  man  and  a  writer  in  the  Chancellory, 
forgetful  how  vast  was  the  distance  between  his  situa- 
tion and  his  Sovereign,  went  up  to  him  with  his  head 
erect,  and  every  feature  dilated  with  joy,  and  seizing 
him  b}  the  hand,  and  giving  him  a  hearty  slap  on  the 
shoulder,  exclaimed,  "  Thou  art  worthy  to  be  our  King  ! 
Gustavus  for  ever !  "  More  pleased  than  offended  with 
a  familiarity  that  denoted  the  sincerity  of  his  good 
wishes,  Gustavus  took  Ugglas  under  his  peculiar 
protection,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  his  future 
greatness.  Under  Gustavus  IV.,  Adolphus,  M.  Ugglas 
was  created  a  Count,  and  enriched  with  the  spoils  of 
the  kingdom.  He  was  the  secret  adviser  of  that  unfor- 
tunate Prince,  and,  in  conjunction  with  the  execrable 
Armfeldt,  highly  instrumental  in  promoting  those 
despotical  measures  that  led  to  his  dethronement 
and  banishment. 

As  the  King  did  not  cohabit  with  his  Queen,  to 
prevent  the  Gustavian  race  from  becoming  extinct, 
he  deemed  it  advisable  that  his  brother  Charles  should 
marry.  The  Princess  of  Lubeck  Eutin  (now  Queen 
of  Sweden)  was  fixed  on  as  his  bride.  She  was  then 
young,  beautiful,  accomplished,  of  a  sweet  disposition, 
and  warmly  beloved  by  her  Court  and  attendants.     The 


GUSTAVUS     III.  285 

Duke,  her  husband,  who  was  completely  a  libertine, 
still  persevered  in  his  amatory  pursuits,  and  the  hopes 
of  those  seemed  likely  to  be  disappointed  who  waited 
in  anxiety  for  an  heir  to  the  throne.1 

Some  time  after  this  Royal  marriage,  which  was 
celebrated  by  the  Court  with  distinguished  splendour, 
it  was  officially  announced  that  the  young  and  beau- 
tiful Duchess  was 

"  As  ladies  wish  to  be  who  love  their  lords." 

The  nation  felt  deeply  interested  in  the  event ;  and 
so  near  was  the  Duchess  supposed  to  be  to  her  time 
that  the  cannon  on  the  batteries  that  were  intended 
to  communicate  the  happy  event  of  her  safe  delivery 
to  the  metropolis  were  kept  ready  charged  —  when, 
most  unexpectedly  and  suddenly,  these  pleasing  ex- 
pectations all  vanished,  and,  instead  of  an  heir  to 
the  Crown,  it  was  announced  that  the  young  Duchess 
had  mistaken  her  situation,  and  had  been  troubled 
with  a  "false  conception." 

Probably  the  Duchess  was  never  pregnant,  but  that 
a  near  relation   to  her   husband  was,  and  it  was  out   of 

1  "The  Swedes  universally  lament  that  he  (Gustavus  III.)  has 
no  children  by  his  Queen  ;  and  it  is  on  this  account  that  his  next 
brother,  Prince  Charles,  is  now  married.  The  King  is  said  not  to 
be  of  an  amorous  complexion,  or  attached  to  women." — Wraxall's 
"  Tour,  &c,"  p.   127. 

"  It  has  been  asserted,  and  I  believe  with  truth,  that  his  (Gus- 
tavus III.)  sensibility  towards  the  female  sex  was  far  from  being 
lively  ;  he  seldom  cohabited  with  his  Queen.  Strange  to  tell,  gifted 
with  acute  feelings,  and  a  warm  and  brilliant  imagination,  this 
accomplished  Prince,  descended  from  a  race  of  beautiful  females, 
displayed  an  example  of  almost  monkish  continence." — Sir  John 
Carr's  "Northern  Summer,"  p.  130. 


20b  GUSTAVUS     III. 

compassion  for  her  that  the  young  and  generous 
Princess  encountered  the  risk  of  assuming  the  ap- 
pearance of  pregnancy,  in  order  to  adopt  as  hers  the 
infant  with  which  her  amiable  relative  was  teeming. 

There  are  circumstances  connected  with  this  delicate 
subject  that  it  might  not  be  advisable  to  publish, 
though  essential  to  historical  truth.  The  Queen- 
Mother,  Louisa  Ulrica,  certainly  doubted  the  pro- 
bability of  her  sons  ever  becoming  fathers.  And 
this  strange  belief  in  a  mother  is  said  to  have  been 
the  cause  why  the  Queen-Dowager  questioned  the 
reality  of  the  pregnancy  of  the  young  Duchess.  She 
certainly  suspected  that  Gustavus  and  the  Duke  him- 
self were  privy  to  the  intended  fraud — and  who  will 
believe  that  the  Duke  was  innocent  ?  Several  times 
the  Dowager-Queen  hinted  her  suspicions  to  Gus- 
tavus, who  would  not  hear  a  word  on  the  subject. 
Determined  not  to  be  trifled  with,  it  is  said  that  she 
threatened  to  make  public  her  suspicions  if  the  reality 
of  the  appearance  of  pregnancy  were  persevered  in. 

The  Friherre  Benzelstjerna  is  said  to  have  been 
the  nobleman  whom  Louisa  Ulrica  sent  to  the  Duchess 
to  announce  that,  if  she  did  not  lay  aside  the  assumed 
appearance,  her  mother-in-law  was  determined  to  in- 
stitute a  public  enquiry.  This  was  a  blow  that  could 
not  be  parried.  The  Duchess  made  a  frank  avowal 
that  she  was  not  pregnant,  and  said,  laughing  as  she 
spoke,  "Well,  never  mind!  if  it  is  not  so  at  present,  it 
may  happen  in  a  short  time  !  " 

It  is  truly  difficult  to  believe  that,  unknown  to  her 
husband,  the  Duchess  could  carry  false  appearances  so 


GUSTAVUS     III.  287 

far  as  to  have  her  pregnancy  officially  announced  to  the 
nation,  and  solemn  prayers  offered  up  in  the  churches 
for  her  safe  delivery.  And  it  is  no  less  so  to  suppose 
that  the  Duke  would  dare  to  attempt  such  a  fraud 
without  the  sanction  of  the  King,  his  brother.  The 
author  of  a  work,  entitled,  "  Characters  and  Anecdotes 
of  the  Court  of  Sweden  "  (vol.  i.,  p.  7),  alluding  to 
this  singular  occurrence,  observed  that  this  disappoint- 
ment of  her  hopes,  "put  the  King  as  well  as  the  Duke 
very  much  out  of  humour. "  It  is  believed  both  were 
privy  to  this  attempt  to  substitute  an  heir  to  the  throne. 
This  failure  gave  rise  to  an  expedient  still  more  extra- 
ordinary, adopted  two  years  afterwards,  to  which 
Gustavus  IV.,  Adolphus,  is  said  to  be  indebted  for  his 
existence. 

Whilst  these  events  were  passing,  a  marked  change 
was  observed  in  the  conduct  of  the  King,  who  assumed 
a  degree  of  state  quite  at  variance  with  his  professions 
of  economy.  He  lavished  the  wealth  of  the  kingdom  in 
feasts  and  tournaments,  and  swelled  his  household 
establishments  to  an  extent  far  beyond  what  Sweden 
had  ever  before  witnessed.  Louisa  Ulrica  almost  ceased 
to  rejoice  at  the  humiliation  of  the  oligarchs,  since, 
instead  of  those  high-born  and  powerful  lords,  she  saw 
the  Court  filled  with  a  race  of  servile  and  unprincipled 
parasites  and  flatterers,  who,  fattening  on  the  prevailing 
profusion,  applied  all  their  influence  to  strengthen  and 
increase  that  love  of  pageantry  and  magnificence  which 
was  already  too  conspicuous.  She  beheld  with  sorrow 
and  regret  that,  in  less  than  two  years,  not  only  the 
admiration,    but    even    the    esteem    of    the    liberal    and 


28<5  GUSTAVUS     III. 

cultivated  part  of  his  subjects,  was  rapidly  on  the  wane. 
She  foresaw  that  this  boundless  waste  must  lead  to  acts 
of  rapacity  and  injustice,  which,  accumulating  from  year 
to  year,  might  ultimately  produce  some  catastrophe  fatal 
to  his  life  and  power.  When  an  opportunity  of  re- 
monstrating with  Gustavus  presented  itself,  she  never 
failed  to  embrace  it.  Impatient  of  wholesome  counsel, 
and  forgetful  of  the  obligations  he  was  under  to  his 
illustrious  mother  for  those  accomplishments  which 
dazzled  mankind,  Gustavus  treated  her  advice  with 
contempt,  and  haughtily  forbade  its  repetition. 

In  the  affectionate  Albertina,  her  only  daughter, 
who  had  arrived  at  the  full  maturity  of  beauty,  virtuous 
in  principle,  and  no  less  accomplished  than  the  ungrateful 
Gustavus,  and  in  the  society  of  a  few  select  and  loyal 
nobles  of  the  old  Court,  the  Queen-Mother  endeavoured 
to  console  herself  for  his  want  of  filial  affection.  Prince 
Frederick  was,  however,  kind  and  attentive ;  but  the 
depraved  habits  of  her  two  eldest  sons  had  totally  alien- 
ated their  affections.  Whilst  Louisa  Ulrica  mourned 
over  the  ruin  she  could  not  help  anticipating  from  their 
vicious  courses,  she  took  every  precaution  to  conceal 
her  sorrows  from  the  world,  and,  on  all  occasions, 
strove  to  palliate  their  conduct. 

Notwithstanding  the  passion  of  Gustavus  for  the 
possession  of  unlimited  power,  the  display  of  his  fine 
taste,  and  a  degree  of  magnificence  in  his  Court  that 
was  incompatible  with  the  impoverished  state  of  the 
finances,  the  first  six  years  of  his  reign  were,  speaking 
comparatively,  usefully  employed.  He  applied  with 
great  industry  his  extraordinary  talents  to  the  improve- 


GUSTAVUS     III.  289 

ment  of  the  commerce,  husbandry  and  finances  of 
Sweden.  That  he  did  not  perfectly  understand  the 
principles  by  which  trade  is  created  and  improved  was 
evident  by  the  failure  of  all  the  plans  he  adopted ;  he 
was,  however,  sincere  in  these  endeavours  to  benefit 
his  country ;  his  motives,  therefore,  must  not  be  too 
narrowly  scrutinised.  He  established  manufactories 
at  Stockholm  and  Gothenburg  to  relieve  the  wants  of 
the  destitute  poor  by  finding  them  employment,  which 
he  furnished  with  raw  materials.  In  Stockholm  alone, 
in  1773,  twelve  thousand  poor  persons  were  thus  em- 
ployed. If  kings  engage  in  trade  they  will  be  sure  to 
lose  their  capital.  It  turned  out  so  with  Gustavus ; 
those  forced  establishments  ultimately  failing,  after 
having  occasioned  an  enormous  waste  of  treasure. 
Gustavus  gave  the  first  great  impulse  to  the  better 
cultivation  of  Finland.  He  encouraged  the  importation 
of  corn,  and  prohibited  dealers  from  keeping  it  in 
store,  whereby  to  enhance  its  price,  adopting  the  most 
decisive  measures  to  counteract  those  monopolisers 
whose  ever  -  grasping  avarice,  backed  by  enormous 
wealth,  sought  to  increase  overflowing  coffers,  although 
the  poor  and  destitute  perished  by  its  effects  in  the 
streets  or  by  the  highway  side. 

The  expenses  of  the  Court  were  swollen  to  an  un- 
precedented sum,  the  love  of  the  King  for  grandeur 
impelling  him  to  assume  a  degree  of  splendour  that 
might  have  better  suited  the  vast  and  powerful  Empire 
ruled  by  Catherine  II. 

A  dignitary  of  the  Church  of  Sweden  once  said  to 
Gustavus,  "  There  are  two  things  with  which  a  wise 
vol.  1  19 


20,0  GUSTAVUS     III. 

King  of  Sweden  would  not  meddle,  namely,  religion  and 
brandy ! "  The  first,  Gustavus  was  wise  enough  to 
leave  to  the  priesthood,  but  the  second  offered  a  temp- 
tation not  to  be  resisted.  In  1772,  the  King  had 
declared  he  was  firmly  bent  on  the  suppression  of  all 
monopolies ;  at  the  same  time  he  prohibited  private 
stills.  Previous  to  this  period,  every  Swedish  farmer 
was  at  liberty  to  distil  from  corn  or  other  substances. 
For  the  sake  of  revenue,  Gustavus  prohibited  this  right, 
which  rendered  him  unpopular,  and  gave  rise  to  many 
petty  insurrections,  to  suppress  which  he  was  forced 
to  have  recourse  to  his  standing  army.  During  three 
years  he  persevered  in  these  unpopular  measures.  The 
prohibition  was,  however,  recalled  in  1775  :  the  privi- 
lege of  distilling  brandy  was  wholly  monopolised  by  the 
Crown,  which  was  granted  to  a  limited  extent  to  indi- 
viduals, on  the  payment  of  a  certain  sum,  for  a  fixed 
period  of  years.  The  want  of  a  sufficient  number  of 
contractors  or  farmers  of  this  Royal  monopoly,  forced 
the  King  to  abandon  his  plan.  His  next  determination 
was  to  become,  himself,  the  only  distiller  in  Sweden  ! 
He  set  about  this  enterprise  with  his  usual  ardour. 
Gustavus  flattered  himself  he  had  discovered  a  new 
Potosi  in  his  poor  and  barren  kingdom.  He  interdicted 
the  importation  of  foreign  brandies,  bought  up  (pro- 
bably at  his  own  price)  the  materials  used  by  private 
distillers,  and  enacted  very  heavy  penalties  in  case  of 
this  Royal  monopoly  being  infringed. 

Complaints,  murmurs,  execrations  and  menaces 
were  heard  in  the  metropolis  and  in  every  province  of 
his  kingdom.     The  Fourth  Estate  (peasants)  sent  deputa- 


GUSTAVl'S     III.  29I 

tions  to  the  King,  remonstrating  in  bold  and  energetic 
terms  against  the  assumption  of  this  monopoly,  and 
demanding  the  restoration  of  their  old,  indisputable 
right  of  distilling  brandy  for  their  own  consumption. 
Disregarding  these  remonstrances,  the  King  still  per- 
severed, when  serious  commotions  broke  out  in  various 
parts  of  Sweden.  Even  in  the  metropolis  it  was  found 
necessary  to  station  guards  at  the  Royal  brandy  factories, 
to  prevent  their  being  destroyed  by  the  indignant  popu- 
lace. He  was  so  stubborn,  or  rapacious,  that  rather 
than  relinquish  a  revenue  thus  gained,  he  hazarded  his 
crown  and  life. 

Many  of  his  regulations  relative  to  commerce  were 
judicious  ;  these  were  adopted  at  the  suggestion  of 
persons  who  best  understood  its  principles :  wherever 
the  King  preferred  his  own  theories,  however  plausible 
they  might  appear,  abstractedly  considered,  they  invari- 
ably failed  when  put  to  a  practical  test. 


19- 


292  GUSTAVUS     III. 


CHAPTER    XII 

Vast  projects  of  Petev  the  Great — Their  progressive  realisa- 
tion— Gustavus  attempts  to  counteract  Russia— Catherine  II. 
and  Gustavus —  Their  opposite  vieivs  and  preparations  — 
Great  national  undertakings  began  or  completed  by  Gustavus 
at  Carlscrona  and  Sveaborg — Visits  his  provinces — Reforms 
local  abuses  and  punishes  several  unjust  judges — His  great 
and  varied  talents  and  acquirements — Effeminacy  of  his 
Court — Honours  paid  by  Gustavus  to  the  memory  of  Sir 
Charles  Linne — Suffers  his  invaluable  collection  to  be  sold — 
Embellishes  Stockholm — Practises  the  utmost  profusion  — 
Recommends  frugality  to  his  subjects — Sumptuary  laws — 
Corrupts  the  national  manners — Lavishes  his  treasures  on 
idle  pageantry. 

When  Peter  I.,  on  the  sylvan  shores  of  the  deep, 
broad,  majestic  Neva,  laid  the  foundations  of  the  future 
capital  of  European  Russia,  estimating  in  his  capacious 
mind  the  growth  of  power  with  civilisation,  he  probably 
considered  that  his  successors  would  extend  the  north- 
west frontier  till  it  should  embrace  the  whole  of  the 
territories  then  appertaining  to  Sweden  and   Denmark.1 

1  In  "A  Sketch  on  the  Military  and  Political  Power  of  Russia," 
the  author  (who  by  acclamation  is  pronounced  to  be  Lieutenant- 
General  Sir  Robert  Wilson),  speaking  of  Peter  I.,  observes: 

"In    the   years   between    1701    and    1711    the   Czar    Peter    was 


GUSTAVUS     III.  293 

Gustavus  III.  was  often  heard  to  assert  that,  if  he 
were  Czar  of  Russia,  in  defiance  of  all  Europe  com- 
bined, in  seveni  years  he  would  realise  that  project 
and  give  law  to  all  the  world  !  The  provinces 
wrested  from  Sweden  by  the  disastrous  wars  that 
were  ended  by  the  Treaties  of  Abo  and  Nystadt 
gave  Russia  the  command  of  the  Baltic,  and  of  an 
invaluable  source  of  commercial  prosperity.  Gustavus 
knew  the  vast  ambition  of  Catherine  II.;  he  envied 
her  magnificence  and  dreaded  her  power.  If  she 
usurped  the  throne  of  her  husband  (Peter  III.), 
she  inherited  the  spirit  of  Peter  I.,  treading  in  the 
path  which  that  noble  savage  had  marked  out. 
When  Catherine  heard  of  the  Revolution  of  1772 
being   accomplished,  she   was   at    once    astonished    and 


contending,  with  various  success,  against  the  Swedes,  Turks  and 
Poles  for  an  advance  of  his  European  frontier. 

"  In  the  year  1713,  having  conquered  Riga  and  Livonia,  he 
built  the  city  of  St.  Petersburg,  transporting  30,000  from  Archangel 
to  be  the  inhabitants,  and  inviting  foreigners,  particularly  the 
English,  to  settle  there. 

"In  the  year  1714  he  developed  his  naval  projects,  which  have 
been  suspended,  but  never  abandoned  by  his  successors. 

"In  the  year  1721  he  declared  himself  Emperor  of  All  the 
Russias;  and  on  his  death,  in  1729,  the  world  added  and  preserved 
to  his  memory  the  posthumous  title  of  '  The  Great.' 

"From  the  year  1729  to  1762,  although  Russia,  under  six 
Sovereigns,  some  of  whose  reigns  were  short  and  tragical,  pro- 
ceeded in  the  attainment  of  internal  strength,  solidity  and  trade ; 
although,  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  she  had  connected  herself  with 
England  and  acquired  a  military  character,  still  she  had  not  taken 
her  station  as  a  great  European  Power. 

"  When  Catherine  II.  mounted  the  throne,  only  22,000,000  of 
people  paid  her  homage. 

"  During  her  reign  of  thirty-three  years,  according  to  the  best 


294  GUSTAVUS     III. 

grieved .  The  nobles  and  courtiers  who  were  in  her 
pay  had  not  prepared  her  mind  for  such  a  result. 
But  when  informed  of  the  extreme  f  magnificence  of 
Gustavus,  and  that  in  point  of  ceremony  he  equalled 
the  Court  of  Versailles,  and  in  splendour  emulated, 
if  not  eclipsed,  every  other  throne  in  Europe,  she 
was  secretly  pleased,  not  doubting  but  his  love  of 
pageantry  would  soon  disgust  his  subjects,  and  pro- 
bably enable  the  nobility  to  renew  those  fetters  that 
were  so  suddenly  snapped  asunder.  Compared  with 
the  pecuniary  resources  of  Catherine,  Gustavus  III. 
was  an  indigent  Prince.  The  Prince  Potemkin,  and 
perhaps  several  other  of  her  favourites  and  first-rate 
nobles,  possessed  a  revenue  far  exceeding  the  entire 
income  allotted  for  the  support  of  the  whole  of  the 
Royal  Family  of  Sweden.  It  was,  therefore,  with 
real  pleasure  that  Catherine  heard  of  the  magnificence 
that  prevailed  at  the  Court  of  Gustavus  ;  and  on  more 

authorities  of  the  time,  the  number  was  augmented  to  nearly 
36,000,000,  by  acquisition  and  natural  increase  of  population." 

"Alexander  commenced  his  reign  in  the  year  1800,  with  over 
36,000,000  of  people  : 

"The  acquisitions  of  his  predecessors  had  been  enormous,  but 
they  had  not  yet  completed  the  line  of  frontier. 

"  The  guns  of  the  Swedes  could  be  heard  in  St.  Petersburg. 
Denmark  and  Sweden  had  considerable  navies. 

"Aland  covered  the  Swedish  coasts  from  insult  or  sudden  inva- 
sion, when  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  might  be  frozen  ;  and  Sveaborg 
commanded  the  navigation  of  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  of  Finland. 

"When  Alexander  came  to  the  throne,  36,000,000  of  people 
acknowledged  his  authority ;  but  at  this  day  (1817),  by  increase 
and  acquisition,  there  cannot  be  less,  at  the  lowest  calculation, 
than  42,000,000 — and  not  of  Asiatic  houseless  hordes  wandering 
in  deserts,  but  chiefly  of  Europeans." — Pp.  116,  117,  121  to  128. 


GUSTAVUS     III.  295 

than  one  occasion  she  derided  his  pigmy  efforts,  calling 
him  by  coarse  and  insulting  epithets,  of  which  the  least 
offensive  were  "The  little  King"  and  "The  amateur 
player   of   Stockholm." 

Amongst  crowned  heads,  occurrences  trivial  as 
these  have  sometimes  had  powerful  influence  on  the 
destinies  of  nations.  The  sarcasms  of  Catherine, 
perhaps  with  additions  and  embellishments,  were  re- 
ported to  Gustavus,  who  suffered  them  to  make  too 
deep  an  impression  on  his  mind.  From  this  period 
a  strong  feeling  of  personal  enmity  was  blended  with 
the  hostility  of  Gustavus  to  the  politics  of  the 
Empress    Catherine    II. 

The  King  exerted  himself  with  inconceivable  activity 
to  place  his  army  and  navy  on  a  formidable  footing, 
for  he  aspired  to  the  maritime  sovereignty  of  the 
Baltic.  When  Gustavus  had  any  great  object  in  view, 
he  was  seldom  very  nice  regarding  the  means  of 
attainment.  His  uncle,  Frederick  of  Prussia,  accused 
him  of  intending  to  burn  the  Danish  Royal  navy  by 
incendiaries,  hired  for  that  purpose :  perhaps  he  also 
intended  to  treat  the  Russians  in  the  same  way. 
Gustavus,  secretly  determined  to  make  a  sudden  irrup- 
tion into  the  Russian  territories  the  first  favourable 
opportunity,  made  as  great  exertions  to  build  a  for- 
midable navy  as  if  all  Sweden  were  an  island,  whose 
safety,  like  that  of  Great  Britain,  depended  upon  her 
fleet.     The    works   begun   by  Gustavus  at    Carlscrona1 

1  Carlscrona,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Bleking,  and 
the  residence  of  the  governor,  is  situated  upon  the  shore  of  the 
Baltic   Sea,    and  built  upon  a  large  insulated   rock.     The  road  to 


296  GUSTAVUS     III. 

were  of  stupendous  magnitude,  the  expense  far  exceed- 
ing the  value  of  any  possible  benefit  that  could  ration- 
ally be  expected.  They  were  calculated  to  strike  every 
spectator  with  amazement,  and  to  immortalise  the  name 
of  the  Royal  founder,  rather  than  prove  of  utility 
commensurate  with  the  prodigious  disbursement  they 
occasioned.  It  is  difficult  to  convey  an  adequate  idea 
of    the    immense    labour    expended    on    the    docks    at 


it  is  over  two  other  islands,  which  are  joined  to  the  mainland 
by  three  large  bridges,  and  contain  two  suburbs  of  considerable 
size,  but  dirty  and  ill-built,  being  inhabited  only  by  the  lower  sort 
of  people.  The  city  takes  its  name  from  its  founder,  Charles  XI. 
"I  was  conducted  to  the  port  by  an  officer,  who  had  been  in 
our  Service  under  Mr.  Dedel.  This  port  is  very  large  and  con- 
venient, being  almost  surrounded  with  docks,  and  having  a 
long  bridge,  on  the  two  sides  of  which  vessels  not  in  use  are 
kept  at  moorings.  I  reckoned  here  twenty-eight  vessels  of  the 
line  and  frigates,  amongst  which  were  one  of  one  hundred 
guns,  one  of  ninety-six,  one  of  eighty-four,  two  of  seventy-four, 
and  several  of  sixty  and  fifty.  The  whole  fleet,  including  five 
vessels  now  equipping,  consists  of  thirty -seven  vessels  of  the 
line  and  nine  frigates.  The  five  vessels  thus  fitting  out,  and  four 
others  which  were  in  the  water,  but  unrigged,  were  built  in  the 
course  of  four  years.  There  were  several  upon  the  stocks,  either 
wholly,  or  almost  in  skeleton ;  and  I  was  shown  one  of  these 
vessels,  which  was  constructed  in  six  weeks,  all  the  parts  having 
been  prepared  beforehand.  The  plan  of  reviving  and  increasing 
the  naval  force  was  concerted  about  four  years  ago ;  a  part  of  the 
year  1782  was  spent  in  preparing  and  collecting  the  materials,  and 
in  1783  they  began  to  build.  It  is  intended  to  build  four  vessels 
annually  till  the  fleet  shall  be  restored  to  a  respectable  situation  ; 
and,  to  defray  the  expenses  of  this  plan,  the  King  has  sus- 
pended the  execution  of  half  the  works  at  the  new  dock.  These 
works  are,  indeed,  stupendous,  and  exceeded  all  the  highly-wrought 
expectations  which  I  had  conceived  from  the  accounts  given 
of  them.  Twenty-nine  years  have  been  already  spent  in  forming 
them,  and  they  yet  want  much  of  completion.  At  the  entrance 
is   a   basin    hollowed    in   the   rock,    of  about    fifty    feet    in    depth, 


GUSTAVUS     III.  297 

Carlscrona.  If  the  London  or  Liverpool  docks  had 
been  excavated  out  of  rocks  of  granite,  the  enterprise 
would  not  have  been  as  difficult  for  England  to  per- 
form as  those  at  Carlscrona  were  for  Sweden.  The 
Swedish  engineers,  Polheim  and  Thunberg,  although 
their  talents  have  been  much  underrated  by  careless 
or  superficial  British  tourists,  were  men  of  vast  genius 
and  profound  science,  and  the  first  projectors   of  these 


and  surrounded  by  quays  of  freestone,  at  which  four  men-of- 
war  may  at  the  same  time  receive  or  discharge  their  stores. 
From  this  basin,  canals  of  communication  are  formed,  that,  by 
means  of  large  locks,  afford  a  passage  for  each  vessel  into  its 
own  dock,  of  which  there  are  twenty  for  ships  of  the  line,  and 
ten  for  frigates. 

"  One  of  these  separate  docks,  with  its  canal  and  lock,  is  en- 
tirely finished.  The  bottom  is  composed  of  freestone,  joined  and 
cemented  with  pozzuolana,  a  sort  of  cement,  brought  for  that 
purpose  from  Italy,  and  laid  in  a  bed,  which  has  been  hollowed 
in  the  rock,  exactly  of  the  shape  of  a  ship's  keel.  Along  the 
whole  length  of  this  dock  they  have  contrived  galleries  of  stone, 
by  means  of  which  they  erect  the  beams  or  scaffoldings,  when  the 
vessel  is  rendered  entirely  dry,  in  order  to  be  repaired.  The 
walls  which  support  the  roofs  and  separate  the  docks  from  each 
other  are  formed  of  the  same  freestone  and  cement,  and  are  at 
least  of  the  thickness  of  twenty  feet  up  to  the  height  of  the 
vessel's  upper  deck.  There  platforms  are  constructed  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  guns  of  each  vessel,  which  are  delivered  and 
received  through  large  arched  openings  communicating  with  the 
platform  and  with  the  inside  of  the  dock. 

"  The  roof  is  of  timber,  plated  on  the  outside  with  iron,  and 
so  contrived  as  to  bear  all  the  levers  used  in  loading  and  unload- 
ing the  vessel.  When  the  dock  is  to  be  rendered  perfectly  dry, 
the  water  is  suffered  to  run  through  a  vent  in  the  bottom,  which 
they  open  by  a  machine  prepared  for  that  purpose ;  it  is  then 
received  in  a  basin  hollowed  immediately  under  the  dock,  and 
from  thence  is  forced,  by  means  of  a  windmill,  into  the  other 
basin  before-mentioned. 

"  These  covered  lodges,  when  the  plan    is   perfected,  will  form 


298  GUSTAVUS     III. 

works.  The  nation  was,  in  a  manner,  impoverished 
by  the  expense.  The  King,  however,  persevered,  and 
at  the  time  of  making  war  on  Russia  he  had  created 
a  navy  too  powerful  for  Sweden  to  be  long  able  to 
maintain,    yet   totally   inadequate   to   the   attainment  of 

a  large  semi-circle ;  but  the  second  is  yet  unfinished,  and,  from 
the  immense  expense  of  the  undertaking,  it  seems  doubtful 
whether  the  whole  number  will  ever  be  completed.  At  present 
they  are  chiefly  employed  upon  the  improvement  of  the  ancient 
dock,  which  will,  probably,  be  not  less  useful  than  the  new  one. 
Indeed,  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  vessels  can  be  preserved 
by  this  method  longer  than  by  those  now  in  use ;  and,  even  if 
this  is  admitted,  it  will  still  remain  to  be  enquired  how  far 
the  millions  expended  in  forming  the  docks,  sluices,  basins  and 
canals  are  likely  to  be  repaid  by  the  savings  proposed. 

"  This  new  dock  was  begun  in  the  late  reign,  upon  a  plan 
suggested  by  one  Thunberg,  now  a  very  old  man,  who  has  the 
direction  of  the  works  constructing  upon  the  Gothe  Alf.  The 
ancient  dock,  which  is  a  sort  of  canal  of  350  feet  in  length  and 
30  in  depth,  was  hollowed  in  the  rock,  and  entirely  completed 
between  the  years  1715  and  1724.  It  was  planned  by  Polheim, 
and  is  situated  between  the  port  and  the  new  dock,  communi- 
cating, on  the  one  side,  with  the  dockyard  and  port,  and,  on  the 
other,  with  the  sea,  by  means  of  two  canals  of  such  size  as  to 
admit  the  passage  of  first-rate  men-of-war.  Both  canals  are  en- 
closed by  very  large  flood-gates,  and  before  that  which  opens 
towards  the  sea  they  have  placed  a  movable  dam  of  very  in- 
genious construction,  in  order  to  protect  the  sluice  from  the 
violence  of  the  waves.  When  a  vessel  has  entered  the  dock  in 
order  to  be  caulked,  they  shut  the  gates,  place  the  dam  before 
them,  and  an  immense  pump  is  put  in  motion,  either  by  men  or 
horses,  which  in  twelve  hours  renders  the  dock  entirely  dry. 

"  The  port  of  Carlscrona,  which  is  very  deep  and  easy  of 
entrance,  is  capable  of  containing  a  hundred  ships  of  the  line. 
It  is  defended  by  two  strong  forts,  whose  fires  cross  each  other, 
and  are  undoubtedly  able  to  sink  any  fleet  that  should  attempt  to 
force  a  passage.  They  are  both  built  upon  rocks  in  the  sea ;  the 
one  called  Kongsholm  (King's  Island),  the  other  Drotnings-kiar,  or 
Queen's  Rock." — Vide  "Journey  through  Sweden,"  p.  148,  &c. 


gustavus    in.  299 

the  sovereignty  of  the  Baltic — a  shallow  sea,  unsafe 
for  large  ships  and  shut  up  by  ice  several  months 
every  year.  The  genius  of  Gustavus  gave  birth  to 
the  largest  navy  Sweden  ever  possessed,  which  was 
soon  after  destroyed,  by  his  inexperience  and  pre- 
sumption, in  the  Bay  of  Wiborg. 

This  magnificent  and  enterprising  Prince  under- 
took another  work,  equal  in  magnitude  and  expense, 
but  of  a  far  higher  order  in  point  of  national  im- 
portance, in  completing  the  fortress  and  the  naval 
docks  built  upon,  or  rather  excavated  in,  the  granite 
islands  that  cover  the  entrance  to  a  large  bay  near 
Helsingfors,  in  the  Gulf  of  Finland.  His  object  in 
this  was  of  a  twofold  nature,  i.e.,  to  protect  Sweden 
from  invasion  on  the  side  of  Russia  by  land  or  sea, 
and  to  facilitate  an  invasion  of  that  country  by  the 
Swedish  fleet  or  army. 

When  Sweden  was  compelled  to  cede  a  consider- 
able portion  of  Finland  to  Russia,  it  became  necessary 
to  construct  new  fortresses  to  protect  the  country 
that  remained.  The  Swedish  generals  and  engineers 
represented  a  cluster  of  island  rocks  that  stretch 
across  the  entrance  from  the  Gulf  of  Finland  to  the 
shore  near  Helsingfors  as  the  spot  most  eligible  for  the 
site  of  a  new  fortress  and  the  formation  of  a  secure 
haven  for  the  Swedish  navy.  General  Ehrensward 
had  the  chief  direction  of  this  enterprise,  and  the 
works  were  commenced  in  1748.  The  plan  of  the 
intended  fortress  was  highly  approved ;  it  was  named 
Sveaborg,  i.e.,  the  Safeguard  of  Sweden.  From  this 
period   down    to   the   year    1775,    upwards  of   5,000,000 


300  GUSTAVUS     III. 

dollars    were    expended,    and    still    the    works    were    in- 
complete.1 

When  Gustavus  III.  visited  Sveaborg,  being  struck 
with  the  advantages  of  its  local  situation,  he  deter- 
mined to  improve  upon  the  original  plan,  so  far  as  to 
be  considered  as  the  second  founder.  Secretly  bent  on 
war,    under    the    specious    mask    of    defensive   prepara- 


i  The  following  description  of  Sveaborg  is  extracted  from  the 
"Travels  of  Mr.  Coxe  in  Sweden,"  vol.  iv.,  p,   13,  Sec. 

"  But  one  of  the  most  curious  and  important  fortresses  in  the 
Swedish  dominions  is  Sveaborg,  situated  near  Helsingfors. 

"  Seven  islands,  lying  within  the  circumference  of  four  miles, 
compose  this  fortress,  namely :  Langarn,  the  nearest  to  Helsingfors, 
600  feet  in  length  and  500  in  breadth;  Wiistra  Swarto,  south-east 
of  Langarn,  1,400  feet  in  length  and  800  in  breadth;  Little 
Ostra  Swarto,  800  feet  square  ;  Stora  Ostra  Swarto,  3,000  feet  in 
length  and  1,600  in  breadth;  Wargon,  tying  in  the  centre,  2,400 
feet  in  length  and  2,000  in  breadth — it  is  the  principal  island,  and 
contains  the  governor's  house ;  sixth,  Gustafsvard,  south-east  of 
Wargon,  1,600  feet  in  length  and  1,200  in  breadth;  seventh, 
Skantz  Landet,*  south  of  Gustafsvard,  an  island  as  big  as  both 
Wargon  and  Stora  Ostra  Swarto,  but  of  which  only  600  feet 
are  to  be  fortified. 

"  The  works  are  really  stupendous,  and  worthy  of  the  ancient 
Romans.  The  walls  are  chiefly  of  hewn  granite,  covered  with 
earth,  from  6  to  10  feet  thick,  and  in  a  few  places  not  less  than 
48  feet  high.  The  batteries,  which  begin  upon  a  level  with  the 
water,  and  rise  in  tiers  one  above  another  in  all  directions,  com- 
manding the  only  channel  through  which  large  vessels  can  sail 
to  Helsingfors,  render  the  passage  of  an  enemy's  fleet  extremely 
dangerous,  if  not   impracticable. 

"In   Wargon  is  a  dry  dock,    capable   of  containing    eleven   or 

*  The  orthography  of  Mr.  Coxe,  in  Swedish  proper  names,  is,  in  genera), 
erroneous.  The  names  of  the  islands  on  which  the  celebrated  fortress  Sveaborg 
was  constructed  were  copied  from  a  map  of  Helsingfors,  laid  down  by  N.  G. 
Winning,  and  engraved  by  H.  Akerland  and  E.  Personne,  1808.  In  this  map  there 
is  no  mention  of  such  an  island  as  Skantz  Landet  ;  probably  Mr.  Coxe  meant 
Bockholmen.  According  to  the  scale  laid  down  in  the  above-named  map,  it  is 
probable  that  Mr.  Coxe  is  wrong  in  the  dimensions  given  to  those  islands. 


GUSTAVUS     III. 


30I 


tions,  he  resolved  there  to  accumulate  such  vast  mili- 
tary magazines  as  should,  at  any  favourable  moment, 
admit  of  a  sudden  and  formidable  invasion  of  Russia  ; 
carrying  his  anticipations  so  far  as  the  capture  of  St. 
Petersburg,  the  destruction  of  the  Russian  marine, 
and  transporting  to  Stockholm,  as  a  trophy  of  victory, 
the  magnificent  equestrian  statue  of  Peter  the  Great 
that  Catherine  II.  had  commanded  Falconet  to  pre- 
pare for  the  decoration  of  her  residence  !      Such   were 

twelve  frigates,  hollowed  in  the  solid  rock,  800  feet  long,  200 
broad  and  14  deep.*  It  is  divided  into  three  equal  parts  by  two 
brick  walls,  which  run  lengthways ;  each  part  will  contain  four 
frigates,  and  may  be  closed  with  sluice-gates,  so  that  each  vessel 
lies  separately  from  the  other.  The  whole  is  covered  with  a 
wooden  pent-house  roof,  in  order  to  preserve  the  frigates  from 
the  rain  :  this  basin  contained  eleven  frigates.  At  one  extremity 
of  this  dock  is  a  basin  200  feet  square,  closed  at  each  end  with 
sluice-gates,  which  serves  for  the  entrance  and  exit  of  the 
frigates,  and  likewise  for  repairing  and  building  ships.  At  the 
other  end  another  basin  was  finished,  of  the  same  dimensions,  for 
a  man-of-war,  which  may  likewise  serve  for  the  passage  of  the 
frigates,  whenever  the  other  is  employed  in  repairing  or  building 
of  ships.  The  magazines  for  the  stores  and  artillery  are  built  on 
the  edge  of  the  water,  which  is  of  sufficient  depth  to  admit  each 
vessel  close  to  the  quay,  to  be  equipped  without  trouble.  There 
is  an  excellent  port  for  seventy  sail  of  the  line,  and  a  small 
harbour,  no  less  secure,  for   ten    frigates. 

"The  garrison,  in  October,  1784,  consisted  of  350  soldiers  and 
600  marines;  but  when  the  whole  fortifications  are  completed, 
will  require  12,000  men.  For  the  purpose  of  building  and  fitting 
out  ships  at  Sveaborg,  the  Swedes  procure  oak  from  Gothland, 
part  of  the  flax  from  Finland,  and  hemp  and  masts  from  Riga. 
Such,  in  October,  1784,  was  the  state  of  Sveaborg,  a  fortress 
which,  even  in  its  present  unfinished  state,  will  be  capable  of 
harassing  the  Russians  in  case  of  war,  and  which,  should  it  be 
completed,    may   justly   be   called  the  Gibraltar  of   the  North." 

1  This  depth  is  certainly  too  shallow,  although  Swedish  frigates  are  smaller 
and  draw  less  water  than  British. 


J 


302  GUSTAVUS     III. 

the  flattering  visions  in   which  the  ambitious  Gustavus 
indulged.     Nor   was    Catherine   a   passive    spectator   of 
his   conduct.      That    great    woman    penetrated   his   real 
views,    and    filled    not    only    his    metropolis,    but    his 
Court,   with   her   secret    agents.      She  chiefly  depended 
upon    the    indigent    nobility    and    officers    of    Finland. 
The   result    showed,    at    the   critical    moment    of    peril, 
how   well    she    was    obeyed    by    those    mercenary   and 
restless   chiefs.      That    venal    and    rapacious    oligarchy 
— whose   criminal    conduct    reduced    Sweden  to  a   state 
that    afforded    Gustavus    III.    an    opportunity  of  estab- 
lishing,   if    he    had    pleased,    despotism    by    law — had 
greatly  neglected   the  Swedish  army  and   navy.      They 
were   loudly   and    generally   accused    by   the   nation   of 
having  appropriated  to  their  own  use,   and  distributed 
amongst  their  partisans,  the  revenue  of  Sweden.     Gus- 
tavus took  care  to  convince   his   people   of  the  dilapi- 
dated  state   in    which    he   found    the    army,    navy   and 
fortresses ;     and   he   zealously    strove   to    supply   every- 
thing   that    was    wanting    to    effect    their    restoration. 
He    distributed    clothing,    tents    and    new    muskets    to 
each  regiment ;    the  fortresses  were  all  put  into  a  state 
of  defence  and  furnished  with  artillery.     A  new  manual 
exercise    was    introduced,    in    which    the    troops    were 
manoeuvred    by    Gustavus    in    person.      He    suppressed 
the  sale  of  military  offices  and  commissions,   increased 
the    pay   of    the    officers,    and   introduced    such    regula- 
tions as  secured  them,   at   the  age  of  fifty,  the  means 
of  retiring  on  full  pay  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 

Gustavus  made   frequent  journeys  through  different 
provinces,    that    he    might,    from    personal    observation, 


GUSTAVUS     III.  303 

judge  of  the  real  state  of  trade,  manufactures,  agri- 
culture and  the  interior  police.  In  one  of  these  tours 
through  Nerike,  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque 
province  of  Sweden,  the  King  acquired  great  popu- 
larity by  the  dismissal  of  the  governor,  on  a  charge 
of  malversation.  The  seneschal  and  the  treasurer  of 
Dalecarlia  were  also  dismissed ;  but  the  example 
which  produced  the  most  powerful  impression  was  the 
sentence  pronounced  by  Gustavus  upon  the  principal 
court  of  justice  held  at  Jonkoping,  the  capital  of 
Ostra-Gothland.  The  accused  were  obliged  to  appear 
in  person  at  Stockholm.  The  cause  was  pleaded 
publicly  before  the  King,  who  said,  in  his  opening 
speech,  "  I  have  delivered  you  from  an  oppression 
that  rendered  all  justice  venal.  I  have  made  laws  for 
securing  the  rights  of  the  poorest  of  my  subjects,  and 
those  laws  have  been  violated.  I  owe  an  example 
of  justice  to  posterity."  Four  members  of  the 
high  tribunal  of  Jonkoping,  having  been  found  guilty, 
were  dismissed  from  their  offices,  and  several  others 
were  suspended  from  the  exercise  of  their  judicial 
functions. 

These  acts  are  really  an  honour  to  Gustavus,  as  was 
also  his  relieving  the  farmers  (who  were  then,  as  at 
present,  generally  very  indigent)  from  the  oppressive 
burthen  of  supplying  post  and  courier  horses  gratis  for 
the  use  of  the  King  and  Royal  Family.  He  took  an 
exact  census  of  the  people;  and  used  his  utmost  efforts 
to  increase  the  population  of  Sweden,  by  encouraging 
strangers,  particularly  mechanics  and  artists  in  metal,  to 
settle  in  his  kingdom,  and  by  striving  to  induce  those 


304  GUSTAVUS     III. 

Swedes  to  return  who  had  already  emigrated  to  foreign 
lands. 

So  accomplished  a  gentleman  was  Gustavus,  that 
there  was  scarcely  a  professor  of  literature,  or  any  of  the 
liberal  or  elegant  arts,  but  he  was  able  to  excel  each  in 
his  own  peculiar  study.  He  was  spoken  of  as  a  prodigy 
of  talent,  a  Maecenas  in  liberality,  which,  joined  to  the 
magnificence  of  his  Court,  attracted  crowds  of  painters, 
poets,  musicians,  theatrical  dressers,  dancers,  &c.  Those 
who  possessed  very  superior  merit  were  retained,  and  all 
who  greatly  excelled  were  munificently  rewarded.  In 
the  distribution  of  his  patronage  he  betrayed  the 
selfishness  of  his  motives.  He  spared  no  expense  to 
gratify  his  love  of  pageantry  ;  the  superb  spectacles  with 
which  he  treated  the  inhabitants  of  Stockholm  served 
to  ingratiate  him  with  the  most  elegant  of  the  fair  sex, 
as  well  as  the  vulgar  populace.  It  also  attracted 
public  attention  from  the  silent  but  rapid  progress  he 
was  making  towards  the  establishment  of  a  monarchical 
despotism.  Nor  was  he  ignorant  that,  from  his  own 
superior  taste  and  matchless  elegance,  he  should  be 
looked  upon  as  the  great  presiding  genius  that  gave 
the  first  design,  and  the  last  finish,  to  everything  that 
was  superlatively  excellent,  ^"hilst  the  treasures  wrung 
from  an  indigent  nation  were  thus  profusely  lavished  on 
the  votaries  of  the  fine  arts,  few  indeed  were  the 
geometricians,  astronomers,  chemists,  mineralogists,  or 
engineers  whom  he  liberally  encouraged.  His  Court 
was  filled  with  soft  and  effeminate  courtiers,  generally 
devoid  of  principle,  whom  he  had  selected  and  advanced, 
in   many   instances,    from    obscure    stations.      Gustavus 


GUSTAVUS     III.  305 

was  himself  an  elegant  and  witty  dramatic  writer. 
He  would  have  made,  perhaps,  the  best  actor  in 
Sweden,  and  incomparably  the  first  of  managers.  He 
introduced  and  patronised  the  Swedish  opera.  The 
scenery  was  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any  in  Europe. 
It  was  designed  and  executed  under  his  personal 
inspection  ;  for  he  was  competent  to  instruct  the 
first  masters.  The  dresses  displayed  equal  taste  and 
splendour  :  Gustavus  drew  designs  for  the  costumes. 
Before  his  classic  eye,  all  anomalies  vanished  :  the 
actors  and  actresses  became  kings  and  queens.  The 
dramatic  amateurs  of  France  and  Italy  were  forced 
to  own  that  the  elegance  and  grandeur  of  their 
drama  was  equalled,  if  not  outdone,  in  a  Northern 
metropolis,  where  it  was  least  to  have  been  expected. 
If  any  stranger  had  seen  the  King  engaged  with 
theatrical  dancers,  singers  and  dressers,  he  would  have 
thought  the  King  was  so  absorbed  by  those  pursuits 
he  could  have  neither  time  nor  inclination  for  higher 
objects.  After  instructing  the  performers,  Gustavus 
would  return  to  his  palace,  perhaps  to  meet  an  arch- 
bishop, and  confer  concerning  a  new  version  of  the 
Bible ;  to  receive  an  engineer,  relative  to  the  works  at 
Carlscrona,  Sveaborg,  or  Trollhatta  ;  to  discourse  with 
and  encourage  manufacturers  of  the  coarsest  and  the 
finest  wares ;  who  generally  went  away  pleased  and 
astonished  at  a  man  that  seemed  to  understand  the 
secrets  of  their  trade  equally  well  with  themselves, 
and  able  to  elucidate  the  most  abstruse  points  of 
every  subject  that  was  connected  with  their  vari- 
ous occupations.  He  studied  the  prejudices  of  the 
vol.  1  20 


306  GUSTAVUS     III. 

peasantry  of  every  province ;  and  when  anyone  felt 
himself  deeply  injured  by  the  judges  or  officers  of 
the  Crown,  if  the  individual  repaired  to  Court,  the 
King  would  patiently  listen  to  his  complaint ;  and  if 
Gustavus  saw  he  was  likely  to  gain  great  applause, 
he  seldom  hesitated  to  dismiss  a  judge  or  an  officer  for 
whom  he  cared  but  little,  or  against  whom  he  might 
entertain  a  private  pique. 

Gustavus  would  often  assist  in  person  at  the 
Academy  of  Sciences,  on  which  occasions  he  threw 
into  his  manners  so  great  a  degree  of  deference  and 
gravity  that  he  appeared  like  a  tyro  receiving  instruc- 
tion from  sage  masters  rather  than  a  Sovereign ;  by 
this  artful  demeanour  he  ruled,  as  he  pleased,  the 
Academy,  of  which  he  became  the  idol.  To  procure 
greater  eclat,  he  often  sent  questions,  under  a  fictitious 
signature,  that  led  to  some  new  discovery  in  science, 
or  improvement  in  agriculture. 

The  pedestrian  bronze  statue  of  Gustavus  Vasa, 
the  great  founder  of  the  Gustavian  line,  and  the 
colossal   equestrian    statue   of    Gustavus   Adolphus1  are 


i  "  Larcheveque  did  not  live  to  finish  this  superb  statue  ;  it  was 
completed  by  his  great  pupil,  Sir  John  Tobias  Sergell,  K.P.S.  This 
great  favourite  of  the  Swedes  is  represented  in  complete  armour, 
excepting  the  head,  which  is  encircled  with  laurel  ;  his  right  hand 
holds  a  truncheon,  pointing  downwards ;  the  King  is  gracefully 
seated  on  the  horse  (a  likeness  of  his  favourite  charger),  and  the 
animal  has  great  spirit.  The  following  are  the  dimensions :  height, 
from  the  bottom  of  the  pedestal  to  the  top  of  the  hero's  head, 
40  feet ;  from  the  bottom  of  the  horse's  feet  to  the  top  of  the  hero's 
head,  18  feet ;  height  of  the  hero,  if  standing,  14  feet ;  length  of  the 
horse,  from  the  head  to  the  crupper,  10  feet.  The  pedestal,  which 
is  of  marble  laid  on  blocks  of  grey  polished  granite,  is  ornamented 


GUSTAVUS     til.  307 

monuments  worthy  of  the  heroes  to  whose  glory  they 
were  consecrated,  and  of  the  magnificent  Prince  in 
whose  reign  they  were  erected.  They  are  equally  as  fine 
as  the  statues  of  Charles  I.  and  James  II.  in  London. 
The  King  himself  furnished  the  design  for  the  medal 
struck  in  memory  of  Sir  Charles  Linne  :  on  one  side 
was  the  bust  of  that  great  naturalist ;  on  the  obverse,  a 
figure  of  Cybele,  in  a  mournful  attitude,  surrounded  by 
attributes  of  the  mineral,  vegetable  and  animal  king- 
doms: the  inscriptions,  "  Deam  luctus  angit  amissi" ;  and 
on  the  exergue,  "Post  Obitum,  a.d.  January,  1778.  Rege 
Jubente."  Gustavus  attended  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Academy  of  Sciences,  in  which  the  eloquent  and  graceful 
King  delivered  an  impressive  oration  in  commemoration 
of  the  illustrious  dead.  In  a  speech  from  the  throne, 
addressed  to  the  Diet  of  1778,  he  lamented  the  irrepar- 
able loss  that  Sweden  had  recently  sustained ;  yet  this 
same  monarch  suffered  the  Linnaean  collection  to  be 
purchased  by  a  private  foreigner  and  taken  to  England  ! 
Gustavus  could  have  prevented  the  sale  of  that  invalu- 
able and  national  treasure  if  he  had  pleased  ;  and  the 
irreparable  loss  sustained  by  Sweden  is  alone  imputable 
to  his  neglect,  if  not  to  his  parsimony  and  indifference 
as  to  matters  of  scientific  pursuit. 

As  soon  as  he  began  to  reign,  Gustavus  commenced 


with  medallions  of  his  favourite  generals." — Vide  Mr.  Coxe,  vol.  Lv., 
p.  73.  In  a  note  to  p.  70  is  a  quotation  from  the  "Voyage  de  deux 
Francois,"  wherein  mention  is  made  of  a  statue  of  Gustavus's 
minister,  Oxenstjern,  of  nine  feet  high,  placed  under  the  equestrian 
hero.  //  lias  never  been  cast !  This  glaring  blunder  has  been  since 
copied  by  Sir  John  Carr,  who,  having  seen  this  noble  work  of  art, 
ought  to  have  avoided  a  mistake  so  obvious. 


308  GUSTAVUS    III. 

embellishing  his  metropolis  ;  and  if  he  had  lived  to  com- 
plete the  edifices  planned  by  himself  and  his  favourite 
architect  Desprez,  he  might  have  rendered  Stockholm 
equal  to  St.  Petersburg  in  magnificence,  and  far  su- 
perior as  to  the  classical  chastity  and  elegance  of  the 
architectural  decorations  ;  but  his  unfortunate  subjects, 
whose  property,  seized  by  rapacious  tax-gatherers,  paid 
for  all  these  embellishments,  would  have  been  drained 
of  their  last  dollar,  and  the  labouring  peasant,  alike 
destitute  of  employment  and  food,  have  been  left  to 
perish  of  famine.  Thus  boundless  was  the  love  of 
magnificence  in  a  callous,  unfeeling  Prince,  who  pre- 
ferred such  costly  gratifications  to  the  prosperity  of  his 
people. 

Fifty  thousand  dollars  were  expended   on   a  tourna- 
ment  held  in   1776,  at  the   Royal  palace  at   Ekolsund.1 


1  Ekolsund,  or  Ekholmsund  as  it  is  sometimes  spelt,  is  situated 
about  forty-three  miles  north  of  Stockholm,  on  an  arm  of  the  great 
lake  called  Malar  en.  It  was  for  many  centuries  one  of  the  Crown 
estates,  and  a  Royal  residence.  The  palace,  occasionally  inhabited 
by  Gustavus,  was  never  finished.  Its  situation  is  most  delightful ; 
and  its  boundaries,  in  lakes,  forests  and  cultivated  lands,  included 
nearly,  or  quite,  forty  square  miles.  Being  more  than  commonly 
pressed  for  money,  Gustavus  sold  this  fine  estate  to  Sir  Alexander 

S ,  from  whom  it  has  descended  to  his  heir-at-law,  the  present 

owner  of  that  name,  resident  in  North  Britain. 

To  the  antiquarian  this  is  hallowed  ground,  a  greater  number  of 
rude  sepulchral  monuments,  called  Runic  stones,  mostly  of  a  date 
more  remote  than  the  eleventh  century,  being  seen  here,  and  at 
Lislena,  than  perhaps  at  any  other  spot  in  Sweden.  Two  of  those 
tombstones,  of  an  unusually  large  size  and  elaborately  wrought,  are 
set  up,  one  on  either  side  of  the  avenue  leading  from  the  main  road 
to  the  palace.  They  are  supposed  to  be  extremely  ancient,  and  are 
remarkably  well  wrought. 


GUSTAVUS     III.  309 

It  was  as  magnificent  as  regal  wealth  and  exquisite 
taste  could  render  it.  In  the  character  of  a  foreign 
knight,  Gustavus  affirme'd  "That  love  is  more  lively 
and  more  permanent  in  the  hearts  of  those  that  latest 
become  subjected  to  its  influence."     It  is  almost  super- 


Sir  Alexander  S ,    to    whom    Gustavus    III.    alienated    this 

fine  estate,  was  a  very  singular  character,  whose  life  was  marked 
by  striking  vicissitudes.  He  was  by  birth  a  North  Briton,  and 
was  an  elderly  man  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  of  1772.  He 
acquired  an  ample  fortune  by  commerce  in  Stockholm ;  but 
sudden  and  heavy  losses  falling  upon  him,  he  was  ruined  in 
everything,  except  his  character.  As  that  was  untainted,  a  few 
wealthy  merchants  subscribed  a  sum  that  enabled  him  to  begin 
the  world  anew.  He  was  so  prosperous  that  he  became  richer 
than  ever.  As  his  years  and  wealth  increased,  he  became  so  ex- 
tremely penurious  as  to  begrudge  himself  the  commonest  neces- 
saries of  life.  He  was  even  in  the  habit  of  pilfering  sugar  and 
biscuits  from  the  public  coffee-houses  he  frequented;  and,  perhaps, 
at  his  death,  his  greatest  trouble  was  that  he  could  not  take  his 
adored  riches  with  him  to  another  world. 

M.  P.  Hambre,  Esq.,  a  gentleman  well  known  in  Stockholm, 
was,  in  1808,  owner  of  the  hotel  in  Paul's  Gatan  (street)  that 
formerly  belonged  to  the  States-General  of  Holland,  and  was  in- 
habited   by    their    minister    at    the    Court    of     Stockholm.       This 

gentleman  married  a  relation    of    Sir    Alexander  S 's,    and  had 

the  management  of  the  estates  of  Ekolsund,  by  whom  some  of 
the  preceding  particulars  were  communicated  to  the  author.  M. 
Hambre  was  distinguished  by  talents,  learning  and  patriotism. 
The  feudal  system,  to  which  he  was  an  enemy,  prevails  at  the 
present  day  ( 1 S 1 7 )  in  Sweden,  almost  in  the  same  degree  that  it  did 
a  century  since  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  M.  Hambre  released 
the  numerous  peasantry  who  lived  on  the  lands  of  Ekolsund  from 
personal  services,  and,  letting  the  lands  on  the  same  kind  of  leases 
as  in  England,  left  the  cultivator  master  of  his  time  and  resources. 

The  method  of  cultivating  large  estates  in  Sweden  is  by 
letting  portions  of  land  to  labouring  farmers,  giving  them  a  cer- 
tain quantity  of  seed-corn,  and  live  and  dead  stock,  the  owner 
or  occupier  taking  in  return,  on  a  limited  number  of   days  in  the 


3IO  GUSTAVUS     III. 

tiuous  to  say  that  the  King  was  victorious :  for  what 
courtier  would  dare  to  snatch  the  prize  from  his  Royal 
master's  hand  ?  But  had  they  been  ever  so  well  in- 
clined, it  is  exceedingly  probable  he  would  still  have 
been  the  victor.  The  celebrated  Major  Muncke — 
whose    name    has    already  been     mentioned    in    pages 


year,  the  labour  of  the  farmer  and  all  his  family,  horses,  carts, 
&c. — a  mode  that  was  objectionable  in  many  ways,  but  princi- 
pally because  that  the  vassal  was  forced  at  all  times  to  attend 
to  his  master's  concerns,  to  the  frequent  injury,  and  even  ruin,  of 
his  own.  Another  method  was  to  hire  stbtt  drangarne,  i.e.,  victualled 
servants.  Those  are  usually  placed  in  a  house  by  themselves, 
have  a  stated  quantity  of  provisions  given  them,  and  a  female 
drudge  to  cook  their  food.  A  third  method  is  to  employ  tor- 
pavers,  i.e.,  villagers,  to  whom  a  small  piece  of  land,  a  cow  and  a 
fixed  quantity  of  corn,  &c,  is  given,  exclusive  of  a  small  daily 
pay.  The  wages  were  low,  but,  with  all  its  defects,  this  mode 
secures  the  poor  a  decent  subsistence,  and  is,  therefore,  worthy  of 
consideration  at  a  moment  when  so  large  a  proportion  of  the 
labourers  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  are  suffering  the  extreme 
of  want  in   the  midst   of  surrounding  plenty. 

Some  time  subsequently  the  owner  of  this  vast  estate  let  the 
whole  of  it  to  a  Scotch  gentleman  named  Dundas,  who  came  with 
his  wife  and  family  to  settle  in  this  beautiful  but  secluded  spot. 
Mr.  Dundas  was  ennobled  by  Gustavus  IV.,  Adolphus,*  in  the 
spring  of  1808,  soon  after  which,  unhappily  for  his  future  peace, 
he  removed  his  family  from  Ekolsund  and  returned  to  Scotland. 

The  system  introduced  by  M.  Hambre  at  Ekolsund  proved  in- 
jurious to  Mr.  Dundas,  who  was  looked  on  with  envy,  both  as  a 
monopoliser  of  land  and  a  foreigner ;  and  the  peasants,  being  re- 
leased from  annual  servitude,  went  where  they  pleased  to  look 
for  work,  and  he  had  very  great  difficulty  in  procuring  a  sufficient 
number  of  labourers,  particularly  in  seed-time,  and  to  get  in  his 
hay  and  corn  harvests. 

*  To  this  unfortunate  Prince  the  merit  is  due  of  having  endeavoured  to  im- 
prove the  condition  of  the  peasants  ;  and  in  all  enclosures  of  common  pasture 
heaths,  he  compelled  the  enclosers  to  allot  a  certain  portion,  for  ever,  to  each 
cottage,  which  the  wealthier  proprietors  were  hound  to  enable  the  possessor  to 
cultivate. 


GUSTAVUS     III.  3II 

36    and    39    of    this    volume  —  won    the    prize    in    the 
carousal. 

Whilst  Gustavus  thus  indulged  his  taste  for  ex- 
cessive splendour,  he  endeavoured  to  suppress,  by- 
sumptuary    laws,  that   spirit    of  luxury  which,  infecting 


Mr.  Dundas  communicated  to  the  author  many  interesting 
particulars  respecting  the  vicinity  of  Ekolsund.  The  Miilaren 
(the  Archipelago  of  Sweden)  extends  from  the  Island  of  Aland  to 
Arboga,  and  is  studded  with  innumerable  islands,  mostly  covered 
with  evergreens,  continually  presenting  objects  really  picturesque. 
Mr.  Dundas's  opinion  was  that  the  water  had  formerly  flowed  much 
higher  than  at  present.  He  said  that  in  rocks  that  are  now  clad 
with  trees,  and  some  distance  from  the  Miihlar,  there  have  been 
found  vast  and  massive  iron  staples  and  rings  inserted,  that  ap- 
peared as  if  meant  to  serve  as  moorings  to  vessels.  He  also  men- 
tioned several  cylindrical  holes,  excavated  by  the  ancient  inhabitants 
in  the  granite  rocks,  for  which  no  specific  use  could  be  conjectured, 
except  for  grinding  corn,  before  mills  were  invented. 

The  following  anecdotes  were  related  to  the  author,  relative  to 
Gustavus  III.  and  Ekolsund  : 

"As  the  King  was  giving  directions  to  a  favourite  gardener, 
His  Majesty  complained  of  the  flowers  being  plucked  and  the 
grass  plots  tumbled,  saying,  '  You  should  keep  the  lackeys  and 
kitchen  girls  out  of  this  garden,  as  they,  I  suppose,  are  the 
offenders.'  '  Pardon  me,  gracious  King,'  said  the  gardener,  '  those 
are  not  the  guilty  persons,  as  I  am  able  to  keep  them  away  my- 
self.' Suspecting  the  truth,  with  a  smile  of  good-nature  beaming 
on  his  expressive  features,  Gustavus  said,  '  Well,  if  you  think  so, 
pray  tell  me  whom  do  you  suspect  ? '  '  Your  own  gay  courtiers, 
my  King.  It  is  the  gallant  knights  and  fair  ladies  who  are  so 
fond  of  this  retired  spot ;  and  as  long  as  Your  Majesty's  Court 
remains  here,  the  roses  will  be  plucked  and  the  grass  too  much 
pressed.'  " 

At  the  time  of  this  festival,  the  Queen,  the  Duchess  and  a 
number  of  the  nobility  were  in  the  drawing-room,  standing  near 
the  windows,  when  a  huge  elk,  his  lofty  antlers  borne  high  above 
the  water,  was  seen  swimming  across  the  lake.  The  Queen  asked 
what  it  was,  and  someone  said  it  was  an  elk  that  had  been  hunted ; 


312  GUSTAVUS     III. 

the  trading  classes,  called,  as  he  thought,  for  the 
pruning  knife.  Instead  of  setting  the  example  of 
economy  and  retrenchment  where  the  vice  itself  had 
originated,  he  taught  the  theory  of  economy,  and  per- 
severed in  the  practice  of  all  his  former  profusion ! 
He  introduced  a  national  dress  for  each  of  the  four 
Orders  of  the  State.1  The  Court  ladies  in  the  new 
costume  were  laughed  at  and  lampooned  ;  the  Countess 
Hopken,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  elegant  women 
in  Sweden,  compared  them,  decked  in  red  ribbons  and 
red  trimmings,  to  boiled  lobsters!'2  This  affair  furnished 
Gustavus  with  employment  for  two  or  three  years, 
which  he  might  have  accomplished  in  as  many  months, 
if  he  had  begun  by  introducing  retrenchment  and 
economy   into    his    own    Court. 

At  this  period  the  citizens  of  Stockholm,  as  they 
took  their  breakfasts,  frequently  lamented  the  extrava- 
gant habits  of  their  King,  and  foreboded  bankruptcy 
and  insurrection  as  the  ultimate  result.  About  noon, 
a  Royal  page  arrived  with  tickets,  inviting  the  grumbling 
husbands,  and  their  wives  and  daughters,  to  be  present 
at  some  new  and  superb  spectacle.  In  an  instant  the 
females,  all  in  ecstasy,  lauded  the  fine  spirit  of  their 
gallant  and  accomplished  King !  They  must,  to  be 
sure,     appear     like     somebody    on     such    an    occasion. 


when    the   young   Duchess,   with  a   playful   smile,   said,    "  Oh,   no ! 

Your  Majesty,  it  is  no  elk;  it  is  Admiral ,  bathing!  "     It  may 

not,  perhaps,  be  necessary  to  add  that  the  admiral  alluded  to  was 
generally  considered  as  a  notorious  cornuto. 

i    It  was  partially  in  use  in  1808. 

2   Vide  "  Characters  and  Anecdotes  of  the  Court  of  Sweden." 


GUSTAVUS     III.  313 

Thus  was  extravagance  and  dissipation  introduced  into 
the  bosom  of  private  families,  to  the  total  exclusion  of 
that  frugality  so  strongly  recommended.  Gustavus 
knew  the  character  of  every  person  of  any  note 
in  Stockholm ;  he  studied  that  of  their  wives  and 
daughters,  and  artfully  paid  particular  attention  to  those 
females  whose  husbands  and  fathers  were  most  averse  to 
his  erratic  career,  by  which  means,  if  he  caused  domes- 
tic dissension,  he  partially  neutralised  public  discontent, 
having  a  great  majority  of  the  ladies  always  on  his 
side!  Such  was  the  influence  of  his  graceful  demeanour, 
insinuating  address,  and  almost  magic  eloquence,  that 
it  is  not  at  all  singular  he  should  in  a  manner  fasci- 
nate every  person  whose  goodwill  he  was  desirous  of 
attaining. 

His  ardent  mind  and  fertile  genius  acted  as  a 
perpetual  impetus  to  things  that  were  new,  grand, 
and  out  of  the  common  track ;  thence  resulted  a 
constant  succession  of  magnificent  fetes,  spectacles, 
ballets,  tournaments  and  national  operas  of  the  most 
splendid  and  imposing  kind,  the  latter  not  unfrequently 
of  his  own  composition. 

It  was  really  a  calamity  to  mankind  that  this 
wonderful  man  was  born  the  next  heir  to  a  throne. 
Had  his  station  been  less  elevated,  and  his  education 
equally  good,  and  if  he  had  cultivated  his  genius  with 
equal  assiduity,  he  might  have  formed  a  human  prodigy, 
in  genius,  acquirements  and  morals,  equal  to  the 
Admirable  Crichton  ! 

But   in  the  character  and  fate  of  this  monarch   the 
well-known    maxims   are    strongly    exemplified,   that    an 
vol.  1.  21 


314  GUSTAVUS     III. 

exalted  station  is  not  significant  of  happiness,  nor 
always  calculated  to  win  the  esteem  of  surrounding 
attendants ;  whilst,  if  the  same  individual  had  been 
born  in  a  lower  rank,  all  would  have  been  successful 
about  him  and  pleasant  within  him. 


END   OF   vol.    1 


H.    b.    NICHOLS    AND    CO.,    PRINTERS,    .1    SUHO    SQUARE,    LONDON.    W, 


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